Solar power providing home-grown energy and huge cost savings for a Malawian hospital is an example for others to follow
- elainemulcahy9
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
A project focused on delivering reliable, affordable electricity at Mulanje Mission Hospital in Malawi, has shown that an integrated approach combining grid electricity, solar-generated electricity and battery back-up, reduced the cost of electricity by more than 60%, ended black-outs and extended the life of electrical equipment.
Mulanje Mission Hospital (MMH) is a 237-bed facility in south Malawi that provides both in- and out-patient care, community outreach and public health programmes. Prior to 2021, the hospital was being faced with increasing energy bills, power interruptions, and equipment failures caused by sudden outages.
Working with EMMS International, the hospital embarked on a project to overhaul the hospital’s solar and overall electrical system between January and June 2022. The result was a 3-phase grid-coupled solar electricity system and battery back-up, which can be controlled via a mobile app – useful, for example, when bad weather or grid outages are expected and batteries can be kept fully charged throughout the night.
The system delivered immediate cost savings – one year on, electricity bills had fallen by 61% (saving US$1585 per month) and the use of a back-up diesel generator had become minimal. The water supply also improved, as power for borehole pumping is now constantly available. The renewed reliability of electricity supply also resulted in a safer working environment for staff, with fewer outages and less risk of damage to electrical equipment.
The solar-powered system also provides resilience against extreme weather and other climate shocks. For example, when Malawi experienced a nationwide blackout during Cyclone Freddy in 2023, Mulanje Mission Hospital was able to continue operating fully on its solar power system until grid power was restored.
The hospital’s system also protects it from global energy price shocks. This capacity was extended in 2024 with the expansion of its battery storage to provide greater energy security and reduced grid usage and contributed to additional costs savings.
Overall, the upgrade of the energy system at Mulanje Mission Hospital has resulted in significant cost savings – now over US$2,000 a month – with a more reliable electricity supply, improved life of electric equipment, greater resilience of the hospital to energy and climate shocks, and more consistent patient care.
The conclusion of a report published in Tropical Doctor says that, “in an environment of volatile electricity prices and increasing grid unreliability, hospitals should examine their solar power design from the start and fundraise or invest accordingly.”
Dr Arie Glas, Medical Director of Mulanje Mission Hospital to 2025, hopes that their example is one that others will follow, "Many more hospitals can go green, end black-outs, and save running costs!"
Dr. Cathy Ratcliff, CEO of EMMS International, is delighted with the work done: “What makes this upgrading of solar power stand out is that the whole electricity system is now integrated into one system across the hospital, making maintenance easier and the system safer. And while we are all delighted to see increased use of renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions, for the hospital it also means huge savings in electricity bills, that they can now spend on patient care.”
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