BayWa r.e. sponsors rooftop solar plant for Ukrainian hospital
BayWa r.e. sponsors rooftop solar plant for Ukrainian hospital
As the war in Ukraine rages on, health-care facilities and other critical infrastructure suffer from frequent power outages due to continued missile attacks. Together with the RePower Ukraine Charitable Foundation, BayWa r.e. provided a solar installation for one of the largest hospitals in Kharkiv.
Ensuring a constant power supply has never been as important in Ukraine as it is now. This is especially true for hospitals, where doctors and nurses have been rallying to save lives every day since the outbreak of the war. They need not only functioning medical equipment, but also operating light sources to perform surgery. Energy, something that most of us take for granted by flicking a switch, has become a rare commodity in Ukraine.
Solar power for Ukraine
As part of the ‘Solar Supports Ukraine’ fundraising campaign, BayWa r.e. provided the necessary funds to build a rooftop solar plant for Kharkiv City Clinical Hospital 17, located in northeast Ukraine. The intensive care unit performs more than 4,000 surgeries annually and delivers medical assistance to thousands of patients. It has also regularly faced power outages due to persistent shelling in its region.
Facilitated by the RePower Ukraine Charitable Foundation, the new solar installation consists of 96 solar panels. It will provide the hospital with a reliable electricity consumption of 51.8 kW at peak production, ensuring the uninterrupted provision of medical services to patients.
Successful inauguration
The rooftop solar plant was officially launched on Friday, July 14th. This was but one of many steps towards transforming Ukraine’s energy system with renewables, making it more resilient and sustainable, saving lives.
“All of us at BayWa r.e. feel the strong need to support the people of Ukraine. We do this for humanitarian reasons, which is why helping to power a hospital like the one in Kharkiv is so important. We also do this to give something back, and to show the contribution solar energy can make to a reliable, cost-efficient and climate friendly power supply in the rebuilding of Ukraine.”
Jochen Hauff, Director of Corporate Strategy, Energy Policy & Sustainability, BayWa r.e. AG