Champalimaud Foundation joins forces with Greenvolt Group to become the 1st healthcare institution in the world to consume 100% clean energy
After signing a partnership with Philips with the aim of halving its CO2 emissions, the Champalimaud Foundation is now joining the Greenvolt Group to achieve carbon neutrality. With the energy generated by the solar panels at the Champalimaud Center, as well as the energy that will be shared by other Greenvolt Comunidades, it will become the first healthcare institution in the world to consume only clean energy.
Through Greenvolt Comunidades, a company of the Greenvolt Group, a Renewable Energy Community will be created at the Champalimaud Foundation with an energy generation capacity from solar irradiation of 861 kWp. With the 1,580 solar panels installed on the roof of the Champalimaud Clinical Centre, without any visual impact, it will be possible to achieve an annual production of 1,437 MWh of totally clean energy, which will avoid the annual emission of more than 380 tons of CO2.
“In addition to the excellence of its work in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Champalimaud Foundation also wants to leave its mark on society, helping to improve the quality of life for everyone,” says João Manso Neto, CEO of the Greenvolt Group. “It is taking concrete steps in this direction, and Greenvolt Comunidades will allow it to take a leap forward in the process of energy transition towards carbon neutrality,” he adds.
In addition to the energy generated by the solar panels installed at the Clinical Center, the Foundation will also consume clean and cheaper energy generated by other communities located within a radius of about 4 km, managed by Greenvolt Comunidades itself. In this way, within five years, the institution will be the first in the world to consume 100% clean energy.
“In addition to carrying out the installation, Greenvolt Comunidades will be responsible for its operation and maintenance, as well as attracting new producer members to share energy with the Foundation,” says José Queirós de Almeida, CEO of Greenvolt Comunidades. “We are an institution that promotes health and provides care to patients, so it is understandable that we are particularly demanding so that our activity does not have consequences that run counter to our mission,” says Leonor Beleza, president of the Champalimaud Foundation. “This partnership with the Greenvolt Group will help us take an important step towards reducing our emissions to zero, making us an example of sustainability in the health sector,” she adds.
With the Champalimaud Foundation, Greenvolt Comunidades is strengthening its leadership position in this new energy generation and sharing model. Operating in the market since April 2022, Greenvolt Comunidades, which is the result of the Greenvolt Group’s strategic decision to focus on promoting the Distributed Generation of renewable energy, both for self-consumption and through the concept of energy communities, has around 100 projects from the north to the south of the country, corresponding to more than 50 MWp.
