Wildlife hospital to save £2,000 a year on electric bill with solar panels

Brent Lodge Wildlife Hospital is set to save around £2,000 a year on electricity costs after 51 solar panels were installed on the rooftops of its two buildings in Sidlesham.

The charity rehabilitates injured and sick wildlife with the goal of releasing animals back into their natural habitats. It treats thousands of animals each year from small birds to owls and swans, and mammals such as hedgehogs, foxes, badgers and deer. Last year, it opened a new patient admission building to expand capacity and improve treatment facilities

The rooftop panels were installed by Wagner Renewables, a solar installation company next-door to the wildlife hospital, and the savings on the charity’s electric bill will mean Brent Lodge can treat more animals. 

Robert Knight, general manager at Brent Lodge, said: “Energy costs are a significant concern for the hospital, especially with equipment such as patient incubators running continuously, particularly during the busy summer months. By generating our own renewable energy, we hope to see substantial savings on our electricity bills, allowing us to redirect those resources toward providing care for more animals.

“From running veterinary equipment and powering incubators for orphaned wildlife to operating the x-ray machine and maintaining our laundry facilities, energy demand is high year-round. As a hospital that operates 365 days a year, there’s never a moment when energy isn’t required to support the care and rehabilitation of our patients.

“By switching to solar, we aim to be able to redirect savings from energy costs back into our core mission: providing lifesaving care for wildlife. It’s a win-win, helping us reduce our environmental impact while ensuring the hospital runs efficiently throughout the year.”

The £2,000 savings figure was estimated by working out the assumed generation of the solar panels, taking into account the times when more energy is used and calculated against the wildlife hospital’s current energy cost.

Darren Crisp, of Sidlesham-based Wagner Renewables, said: “Since we started the solar installation side of Wagner Renewables we have always aimed to help local homeowners and businesses reduce their energy bills and become ‘greener’. Installing solar, battery storage and other energy-saving measures is a great way to achieve this. We have supported hundreds of homeowners and companies in the local area transition to cleaner energy, but not many are as local as our neighbours Brent Lodge.

“We worked closely with Brent Lodge to achieve the maximum amount of solar across two of their roofs, with plans to add more in the future. We’re also looking into how battery storage may be able to help the charity make the most of their solar investment. We’re glad that the addition of solar panels is already saving vital funds that can go towards the care of animals and their outreach work.”