Causeway Hospital solar roof saves almost £142,000 in first year while cutting carbon emissions

The array of solar panels positioned on the roof of Causeway Hospital in Coleraine

Causeway Hospital has saved almost £142,000 on electricity costs in the first year since installing Northern Ireland’s largest solar roof on a Health and Social Care building, according to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.

The hospital’s 2,300 rooftop solar panels generated enough renewable electricity during 2025-26 to offset electricity costs by around £141,700, while also preventing almost 120 tonnes of carbon emissions.

The £1.2 million project, funded by the Department for the Economy, is the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) installation on any Health and Social Care building in Northern Ireland and one of the largest rooftop solar schemes anywhere on the island of Ireland.

Helping power the hospital

With a generating capacity of 1.2 megawatt peak (MWp), the system produces electricity on site to help power the Coleraine hospital, reducing its dependence on electricity from the national grid.

The Northern Trust said the amount of renewable electricity generated during its first year of operation would be enough to power the equivalent of around 200 average Northern Ireland homes for a year.

The Trust also estimates the environmental benefit is comparable to the annual carbon absorption of between 5,000 and 6,000 trees.

Savings alongside sustainability

Chris Smyth, the Northern Health and Social Care Trust’s Head of Specialist Services, said the project was delivering both environmental and financial benefits.

“The solar PV installation at Causeway Hospital represents a significant step in our sustainability journey. After its first year of operation, the system generated enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 200 average Northern Ireland homes for a year, equating to an annual carbon absorption of approximately 5,000–6,000 trees.

“Projects like this are helping us build a more sustainable and resilient health and social care service for the future.

“The solar roof has not only helped us to reduce our carbon footprint but importantly has enabled us to generate our own electricity to run the hospital.

“Over the period 2025-26 the Causeway Solar PV system has offset electricity costs in the region of £141.7k. Renewable energy in health and social care is an important aspect of how we create a more sustainable and cost-efficient system for generations to come.”

For taxpayers, the project also represents an investment aimed at reducing the long-term running costs of a major public hospital, with savings on electricity bills potentially helping to ease financial pressures across the health service.

Part of wider net zero plans

The solar installation forms part of the Northern Trust’s broader programme to reduce carbon emissions across its estate as the health service works towards regional net zero ambitions.

Alongside the Causeway Hospital project, the Trust has continued investing in energy efficiency measures including LED lighting upgrades, boiler replacement programmes and further solar installations at other healthcare sites.

While patients are unlikely to notice the rooftop panels during a hospital visit, the Trust says the project demonstrates how investment in renewable energy can both lower emissions and reduce operating costs, helping to make health services more sustainable in the years ahead.