Healthy Power: Reimagining Hospitals as Sustainable Energy Hubs

Nicholas Gurieff, Donna Green, Ilpo Koskinen, Mathew Lipson, Mark Baldry, Andrew Maddocks, Chris Menictas, Jens Noack, Behdad Moghtaderi and Elham Doroodchi
Additional contact information
Nicholas Gurieff: Priority Research Centre for Frontier Energy Technologies & Utilisation, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Donna Green: Digital Grid Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Ilpo Koskinen: Digital Grid Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Mathew Lipson: Digital Grid Futures Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Mark Baldry: School of Biomedical Engineering and School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Andrew Maddocks: Priority Research Centre for Frontier Energy Technologies & Utilisation, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Chris Menictas: School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Jens Noack: Applied Electrochemistry, Fraunhofer-Institute for Chemical Technology, 76327 Pfinztal, Germany
Behdad Moghtaderi: Priority Research Centre for Frontier Energy Technologies & Utilisation, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Elham Doroodchi: Centre for Advanced Energy Integration, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 20, 1-17

Abstract: Human health is a key pillar of modern conceptions of sustainability. Humanity pays a considerable price for its dependence on fossil-fueled energy systems, which must be addressed for sustainable urban development. Public hospitals are focal points for communities and have an opportunity to lead the transition to renewable energy. We have reimagined the healthcare energy ecosystem with sustainable technologies to transform hospitals into networked clean energy hubs. In this concept design, hydrogen is used to couple energy with other on-site medical resource demands, and vanadium flow battery technology is used to engage the public with energy systems. This multi-generation system would reduce harmful emissions while providing reliable services, tackling the linked issues of human and environmental health.

Keywords: energy transitions; hydrogen; energy storage; vanadium; flow battery; industrial ecology; co-benefits; multi-generation; power-to-X; energy networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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