Cemig invests R$ 40 million in energy efficiency for the health system

Cemig’s Intelligent Energy Program is investing R$ 40 million in energy efficiency initiatives that should benefit 80 public and philanthropic hospitals in Minas Gerais over the next two years. The actions include the replacement of light bulbs, surgical spotlights and inefficient laundry and hygiene equipment and the installation of photovoltaic generation plants. The main goal is to contribute to more economical energy bills for institutions, thus being able to apply the saved resources in improvements in public attendance.

Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, a philanthropic institution that receives 15 thousand people daily, is one of the institutions contemplated and, since August, has received 10 thousand new LED light bulbs. “The difference is visible. We don’t have that yellowish aspect anymore, (the replacement) gave more life to the hospital. We are all amazed by the quality of the lighting”, commented Santa Casa’s electrical engineer, Adriano Herbert da Silva.

According to Cemig’s Director of Communication and Institutional Relations, Thiago Azevedo Camargo, these actions aim to identify opportunities for improvements in equipment and hospital processes, introducing best practices in energy saving and promoting conscious use. “By adapting the equipment to the hospital environment, we provide more quality to the work of health professionals, in addition to comfort and safety for patients,” says Camargo.

Improvements in several hospital areas

For this purpose, in addition to the replacement of light bulbs, the Program will replace hospital clothes dryers with rotating machines, with automatic time and temperature control, with adjustable time and temperature digital control. The new dryers will also provide savings in the replacement of materials, as they prevent overheating of fabrics.

Surgical spotlights, lighting equipment used in complex medical procedures, will also be replaced. In addition to the gains with the surgical block lighting, resulting from LED technology, the new spotlights have an integrated video camera and high definition screen that should help healthcare professionals.

Some hospitals will receive new autoclaves – used in the sterilization of materials – and with their own energy generation, through the implementation of photovoltaic solar energy systems, the energy bill of the benefited hospital units will be directly reduced.

Energy management will also be applied in the units served by establishing targets, goals and strategies for reducing consumption and planning the efficient use of electrical energy in university administration.