Champalimaud Foundation aims to become the first health institution worldwide to consume 100% renewable energy within five years.
After forming a partnership with Philips to halve its CO2 emissions, the Champalimaud Foundation now joins forces with the Greenvolt Group to achieve carbon neutrality. With energy generated by solar panels at the Champalimaud Center and shared by other Greenvolt communities, it will be the world’s first health institution to rely solely on clean energy.
Through Greenvolt Communities, a company within the Greenvolt Group, a Renewable Energy Community with a solar irradiance-based energy generation capacity of 861 kWp will be established at the Champalimaud Foundation. The installation of 1,580 solar panels on the Champalimaud Clinical Center’s roof, with no visual impact, will yield an annual production of 1,437 MWh of entirely clean energy, preventing the annual emission of over 380 tons of CO2.
“The Champalimaud Foundation, in addition to its excellence in preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases, aims to make a societal impact, contributing to the overall improvement of quality of life,” says João Manso Neto, CEO of the Greenvolt Group. “It is taking concrete steps in this direction, with Greenvolt Communities facilitating a significant leap in the energy transition process toward carbon neutrality,” he adds.
In addition to the energy generated by solar panels on the Clinical Center, the Foundation will also consume clean and more affordable energy from other communities within approximately a 4 km radius managed by Greenvolt Communities. Thus, within five years, the institution will be the first worldwide to consume 100% clean energy. “Greenvolt Communities will not only handle the installation but also be responsible for its operation and maintenance, as well as attracting new producer members who share energy with the Foundation,” emphasizes José Queirós de Almeida, CEO of Greenvolt Communities.
“As an institution promoting health and providing care to patients, it is essential that we are particularly demanding to ensure our activities do not have consequences contrary to our mission,” says Leonor Beleza, president of the Champalimaud Foundation. “This partnership with the Greenvolt Group will help us take a significant step towards zero emissions, becoming an example of sustainability in the healthcare sector,” she concludes.
With the Champalimaud Foundation, Greenvolt Communities reinforces its leadership position in this new model of energy generation and sharing. Operating in the market since April 2022, Greenvolt Communities, resulting from the Greenvolt Group’s strategic decision to promote Distributed Generation of renewable energy, both for self-consumption and through the concept of energy communities, has approximately 70 projects across the country, corresponding to more than 30 MWp.
