When it comes to energy use, GP surgeries face a set of demands not typically associated with domestic or even other commercial buildings. Consulting rooms, reception areas, clinical equipment, and extended opening hours mean that electricity consumption runs consistently throughout the day, with little flexibility to reduce it.
So, it’s understandable that surgeries would seek ways to offset escalating costs. When The Porch Surgery in Corsham approached ProStar Energy about solar, the objective was straightforward: reduce the practice's exposure to rising energy costs, generate meaningful savings from day one, and do so without disrupting the day-to-day running of the surgery.
The result is a commercial solar PV system that is now generating reliable savings, with an estimated payback period of 4 years and 3 months and an annual carbon offset of 4 tonnes of CO₂.
System Capacity: 23 kWp
Total Project Cost: £17,684
First-Year Savings: £3,962
Estimated Payback Period: 4 years 3 months (22.4% ROI)
Annual Carbon Offset: 4 tonnes CO₂
Challenges and Solutions
Working Around an Active Clinical Environment
GP surgeries cannot just pause or shut down operations, not with patients arriving throughout the day, and clinical staff working continuously to treat them. Any disruption to power or operations carries a genuine risk to service delivery. For this reason, and before any work began, ProStar Energy carried out a full site assessment to understand the roof structure, available surface area, and the most practical sequencing for the installation.
The system was then designed and scheduled to minimise on-site disruption, with the installation programme managed carefully to avoid any interference with the surgery's opening hours and patient-facing services.
Meeting the Requirements of a Healthcare Setting
Healthcare premises come with a higher threshold for compliance and due diligence than a standard commercial building. The installation at The Porch Surgery was carried out in line with the relevant regulatory requirements, and the project benefited from a RECC visit as part of the quality assurance process. ProStar Energy's engineers hold BS7671 qualification and the BPEC Solar PV and energy storage qualification, and all work was completed to the technical standards expected in a clinical environment.
Sizing the System to Match Actual Demand
A problem that often befalls commercial solar installations is oversizing or undersizing the system relative to real energy consumption patterns. For a GP surgery, demand is concentrated during core hours and tends to be consistent across the working week, making it well suited to solar generation. ProStar Energy analysed the surgery's energy usage carefully before finalising the specification, ensuring that the system generates in proportion to actual demand and that savings are realised on-site rather than exported unnecessarily.
Key Results
Thanks to the addition of this new 23 kWp system, the client enjoyed around £3,962 in savings in its first year of operation. This represents an annual ROI of 22.4% on a total project cost of £17,684, with an estimated payback period of 4 years and 3 months.
That represents a sound return for a practice that carries ongoing overhead costs and limited opportunity to reduce clinical energy consumption through behavioural changes alone. Beyond the financial return, the system offsets 4 tonnes of CO₂ annually, contributing to the surgery's environmental responsibilities in a measurable and verifiable way.
The surgery is fully covered because all manufacturer warranties are in place and tracked through ProStar Energy's CRM system, giving the practice confidence that the installation is supported for the long term.
The two-year workmanship warranty, backed by available servicing packages, means that the surgery has a clear point of contact for any performance queries or maintenance requirements as the system matures. For a healthcare setting where reliability is non-negotiable, that continuity of support is as important as the installation itself.
A Long-Term Investment in Practice Sustainability
For The Porch Surgery, this installation represents more than a cost reduction measure. The savings generated each year can be directed back into the practice, reducing the financial pressure that rising energy costs place on a service that exists to support the local community. At the same time, the carbon offset contribution reflects a practical commitment to sustainability that sits alongside the broader responsibilities of a healthcare provider.
Modern solar PV panels are designed to perform reliably for 25 years or more. The payback period at The Porch Surgery falls well within that window, which means the system will continue to generate returns long after the initial investment has been recovered. That long-term outlook is what makes solar a sound financial decision for GP practices and other healthcare settings that plan in years rather than months.
If your practice or healthcare facility is considering commercial solar panels and you want a clear picture of what a system could realistically deliver, the first step is a free site survey. Get in touch with the ProStar Energy team below or call us on 03316 302 225 to arrange an assessment.
