Energy Saving Systems Installed At Hope Institute

KINGSTON – The Hope Institute is expected to save almost $821,375 per year as a result of the installation of a solar water heating system at the facility, located near the Elletson Flats community in St. Andrew.

It is also expected to save another $337,000 per year or an estimated energy saving of 12,650 kilo watt hours with the installation of a solar photovoltaic outdoor lighting system.

Both systems were handed over by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ), during a ceremony held on March 28 at the health facility.

In his remarks, Board Chairman, South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA), Mr. Lyttleton Shirley expressed his appreciation to the PCJ for its generous donation.

He pointed out that over the past two years, SERHA has embarked on cost reduction measures in the face of rising costs of health care.

“The donation from PCJ has significantly contributed to the Authority’s effort, while at the same time enhancing the security and comfort of the patients as well as the staff at the Hope Institute,” Mr. Shirley said.

The Chairman noted that the Hope Institute is a silent giant in the public health sector, with the staff offering the best in health care delivery and pain management. He informed that 540 patients were admitted to the facility last year.

For his part, Minister of State in the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Hon. Laurence Broderick stressed the need for energy conservation within the society.

“You have a clinic here which is doing sterling work in the field of cancer and you are conscious of being able to afford to render services that consume a lot of electricity. So, the presentation we are doing with the solar water heater system and the changing out of the incandescent bulbs is just a start. I am hoping that the PCJ will say to me in another six months, we are revisiting the Hope institute to make them fully solar, so that they can come off the grid,” Mr. Broderick said.

Meanwhile, Acting Group Managing Director, PCJ,  Nigel Logan said the company conducted a number of audits in hospitals and health centres across the island in 2005, and will continue to do more audits and carry out additional projects.

“We see as a part of our mandate, to do these energy conservation projects, particularly retro fitting in the various institutions. I am really happy, on behalf of the PCJ, to have completed these two projects and we will be doing more,” he said.

The cost for implementing the solar photovoltaic outdoor lighting system is $2.8 million, while the cost to install the solar water heating system is $2.1 million.

The Hope Institute is a specialist hospital that provides cancer treatment, in close conjunction with the Oncology Departments of the Kingston Public Hospital and the University Hospital of the West Indies.

By LATONYA LINTON, JIS Reporter