Falmouth Hospital solar project helps power community sustainability at Dracaena Centre
News
New solar display panel for Cornwall community
March 2026
A renewable energy project at Falmouth Hospital will also deliver wider community benefits, with the South West EX2 Group supporting the Dracaena Centre with a new public-facing solar energy display.
With the hospital’s solar panel installation nearing completion as part of a wider NHS renewable energy programme across Cornwall, EX2 Group has extended the impact of the project by helping the nearby community centre showcase the benefits of solar power in a clear and accessible way.
As part of the works, the EX2 Eco-Tech team will install a graphic display unit in the Dracaena Centre’s reception area, allowing visitors, staff and service users to view real-time data from the centre’s existing solar panels. The display shows how much electricity is being generated, how much carbon is being saved, and the environmental impact of the system on a day-to-day basis.
The Dracaena Centre, provides vital health, wellbeing and community services in Falmouth. The new display will help turn their solar energy system into an educational tool, raising awareness of renewable energy and sustainability among the many people who use the centre each week.
“We were approached by the Centre to help make the benefits of renewable energy visible and meaningful at a community level,” said Sam Charters, Divisional Manager of Eco-Tech at EX2 Group.
“The solar project at Falmouth Hospital is about reducing carbon and energy costs for essential services, but it also gave us an opportunity to support the local community by helping the Dracaena Centre share its sustainability story.”
The display unit presents information in an easy-to-understand format, showing live power generation and long-term environmental benefits. It is intended to spark conversations and encourage interest in renewable technologies among visitors of all ages.
Richard May, Manager of the Dracaena Centre, welcomed the support.
“The display will make a real difference,”“Many people don’t realise we already generate clean energy on site. Being able to show that in real time will help our community understand how solar works and why it matters.”
EX2 Group’s Eco-Tech team is in Cornwall delivering a solar PV programme across nine or more sites operated by Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The project follows the Trust’s award of nearly £2.2 million in national funding from Great British Energy in 2024, supporting the installation of 2,725 solar panels. The programme is forecast to deliver lifetime savings of approximately £6.5 million, while significantly reducing carbon emissions associated with estate operations.
The programme supports the NHS’s drive toward net zero while also creating opportunities to deliver local social value.
“Projects like this show how infrastructure investment can go beyond the site,” added Sam Charters. “By connecting healthcare sustainability projects with community spaces, we can help build awareness, education and long-term environmental benefits locally.”
The wider solar programme is expected to continue across Cornwall, with further NHS sites scheduled for installation before the summer.
Read the report in the Falmouth Packet
