Queensland Health – Group Linen Services

Cleaning and drying laundry is an energy intensive process and as they only operate during the day, GLS’ commercial laundries are heavily reliant on energy.

Installing large solar systems in busy hospital environments is always going to be challenging. The Planet Ark Power team carried out comprehensive and detailed on-site planning and liaised with the local GLS team and hospital engineering and management teams to allay concerns.

The installation and commissioning of the 165 kW Wide Bay Hospital and 331 kW at The Prince Charles Hospital were completed safely and smoothly with minimal disruption to the daily operations of GLS and the hospitals.

The solar systems are designed to maximize the sites solar energy generation, minimize power bills and save public funds. Bonus benefits include improving public assets, supporting the electricity grid, and reducing emissions that drive climate change.

Completed in 2018, the systems are helping GLS slash their energy bills by over 30% annually. The solar systems at Wide Bay (165.60 kW) and the Prince Charles Hospital (331.20 kW) are generating almost 748.9 MWh annually and helping to reduce 599 tonnes of carbon emissions in delivering healthcare in Queensland.

The performance of the solar systems and ease of implementation have surpassed expectations and Queensland Health is considering a third system for GLS laundry at The Princess Alexandra Hospital. This project also demonstrates Planet Ark Power’s capacity to partner with the government on infrastructure projects.