Solar-plus-storage systems inaugurated at two Ukrainian hospitals
Two Ukrainian hospitals recently hosted inauguration ceremonies for hybrid solar and storage systems that have been installed through an initiative spearheaded by the RePower Ukraine Charitable Foundation.
August 2, 2024 Patrick Jowett
Hospitals in the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Brovary have begun benefiting from solar-plus-storage energy systems, installed through an initiative led by charitable foundation RePower Ukraine.
The array at the Brovary Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital, which lies within the Kyiv region, was inaugurated on July 25. It consists of a 24 kW solar power plant with a 28.8 kWh backup system and was designed and built using components manufactured by German company SMA.
The hospital, which serves over 187,000 residents, has 24 departments and centres and the solar plant is specifically designed to backup power supply to the hospital’s intensive care unit. The Kyiv Regional Military Administration and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine had requested a system be installed at the facility.
The second system is a 30 kW solar power plant, with a 43 kWh backup system, located at Kharkiv Children’s Hospital, in northeastern Ukraine. Inaugurated on July 19, the installation features 54 solar panels and ensures uninterrupted power for the hospital.
“Imagine a child on life support, their family anxiously watching. Now, imagine the power fails,” said Vladlena Salnikova, the hospital's medical director. “With this system, that fear vanishes. We're not just saving on bills; we're saving lives and offering peace of mind.”
RePower Ukraine says the recent inaugurations follow an installation at a hospital in Irpin, west of Kyiv, which was equipped with solar panels and a backup power system, as well as another solar power project in Kharkiv.
“We are creating a model of supporting energy supply for hospitals that needs to be scaled to other medical facilities throughout Ukraine with the participation of local and central authorities,” a statement from the foundation said.
It added the projects have been made possible through contributions from European companies including BSW, SolarPower Europe and SMA Solar Technology. A spokesperson for RePower Ukraine told pv magazine the installations are “compelling examples of how Europe is supporting Ukraine in implementing renewable energy initiatives and overcoming energy challenges posed by the ongoing war”.
In July, it was announced that Ukraine had received a total of 5,876 solar panels under the Ray of Hope project, to be delivered to healthcare facilities in the Zhytomyr, Volyn, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv and Odesa regions.
A study by the United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine, published earlier this year, looked at the feasibility of implementing 37 solar projects at hospitals and water supply facilities across the country. It found the potential to generate around 16 million kWh of clean energy if fully implemented, ensuring an uninterrupted power supply.