The Royal Free needed to replace its ageing power infrastructure as well as cut its carbon emissions to meet the NHS target of a 10% reduction by 2015. The challenge was to minimise exposure to rising energy prices by delivering guaranteed energy provision with cost savings, carbon reduction and benefits to the local community.

The Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust partnered with MITIE’s Asset Management division, now part of Utilyx, to provide secure, off-grid energy with cost and carbon savings over a 15-year contract. 

The 4.6MW combined heat and power energy centre uses an efficient gas turbine that produces 36,000MWh of electricity and 36,000MWh of heat per year. It achieves an economic benefit by using the heat that is lost in the production of conventional grid-supplied energy and avoiding transmission losses.

Heat from the plant is converted into high-grade steam and introduced into the Royal Free’s heating, hot water and chilled water systems. There are plans to provide low grade hot water to nearby residential buildings through a district heating network in the near future.