Telford hospital turns its car park roof into a source of power

The roof of a staff car park in Telford is helping to power Princess Royal Hospital. Its new solar canopy uses space above parked cars to generate electricity.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust says the canopy’s 960 panels were installed over 12 weeks. Great British Energy provided £982,000 for the project, delivered by renewable-energy contractor ZLC Energy.

In an emailed reply, the trust's communications team explains that different car-park sections closed in phases. All top-deck spaces were reinstated after installation. Extra parking created near the hospital's Ironbridge Suite during the works remains in use.

The trust estimates annual electricity savings of £70,000. These are projections; the trust's report does not include a full year of measured bills or a detailed performance evaluation.

A government answer to Parliament records £130 million allocated to solar and battery projects across 260 NHS sites in 2025–26.

The practical lesson is to plan replacement parking alongside construction. Here, an existing hospital space now produces power, while a parking area created for the works continues to serve the site.

Sources

• The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
• UK Parliament — NHS energy investment
• The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust communications team — emailed response, 9 October 2026