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Group Linen Services at the Prince Charles Hospital

A clean energy solution for cleaning hospital laundry

Group Linen Services (GLS) is a specialist healthcare laundry and linen hire business owned by Queensland Health that provides 330 tonnes of clean linen each week to hospitals and health services.

As one of the largest linen service providers in Australia, it was an ideal candidate to receive some of the first solar installations as part of a Queensland Government policy rollout.

Planet Ark Power won a competitive tender to partner with the Queensland State Government to install solar systems at GLS sites.

Group Linen Services Wide Bay

Case details

Client name:
Queensland Health’s Group Linen Services
Location:
Maryborough Hospital, Wide Bay (QLD 4650) and The Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside (QLD 4032)
Completed:
Wide Bay in June 2018, The Prince Charles Hospital in July 2018

Challenge

The commercial cleaning and drying of laundry is an energy intensive process. Queensland Health’s Group Linen Services (GLS) Director David Chill explains that GLS operates a number of commercial laundries that are heavily reliant on energy and hence impacted by the fluctuations in the energy market. “We chose Planet Ark Power to install systems at two of our sites to help us remain competitive in a commercial environment,” says David.

Installing large electrical systems like these in busy hospital environments was always going to be challenging, but David found that comprehensive and detailed on-site planning carried out by the Planet Ark Power team, and effective communication with the local GLS team and hospital engineering and management teams, allayed any concerns. “The process was completed safely and smoothly with minimal disruption to the daily operations of both GLS and the hospitals.”

Solution

Two systems totalling 1440 panels were installed for GLS: 165 kW at Wide Bay Hospital and 331 kW at The Prince Charles Hospital. With the laundries only operating during daylight hours, the solution is a great match for solar, maximising on-site energy use and minimising power bills.

System installation in the challenging hospital environment went ahead without a hitch, and there have been smiles all round since the solar switch was flicked. The success of the project demonstrates Planet Ark Power’s capacity to work with government bodies on large solar infrastructure projects. Partnering with Planet Ark Power has been such a favourable experience that Queensland Health is considering a third system for the GLS laundry at The Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Result

GLS is now saving over 30% of its energy costs at the two sites. The Planet Ark Power solar systems are on track to generate cost savings of close to $200,000 annually, meaning the systems will pay for themselves in just a few years. While this solar project is a sound financial decision, GLS is making a significant contribution to Queensland Health’s sustainability goals.
While Group Linen Services will save energy costs every year for the next 25 years, the business is also signalling to its healthcare clients and the wider community that management cares about the environmental impact of the laundry operations.

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities have plenty of roof space that could be harvesting the financial and other benefits from harnessing the energy of the sun. Planet Ark Power is ready and able to help your healthcare facility take immediate, affordable action to help mitigate our planet’s climate emergency.

Testimonial

We chose Planet Ark Power to install systems at two of our sites to help us remain competitive in a commercial environment…The process was completed safely and smoothly with minimal disruption to the daily operations of both GLS and the hospitals.

David Chill, Director, Group Linen Services, Queensland Health.

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