The HUG is working to control its energy consumption and to develop new sources of energy, in particular through solar panels.
The electricity consumed by the HUG is 100% renewable and partially produced in Geneva. The electricity produced by the photovoltaic power stations is self-consumed.
The HUG participate in the energy-saving programs of the Swiss Confederation and the Canton. Numerous actions have been carried out in this context, such as the replacement of lights by LEDs and the installation of more efficient pumps. Larger projects have also been implemented such as the replacement of the steam production system for the central laundry.
OVer the past few years, 2,823 m2 of solar photovoltaic panels, spread over ten roofs, have been put into service. In 2022, these installations produced 453 MWh. equivalent to the energy consumption of 80 households. The HUG aim to increase this surface area by an additional 4,200 m2 by 2025. The development of renewable energy use for heating is one of the challenges promoted by the HUG in their sustainability strategy.
In August 2022, faced with the risk of an energy shortage and the consequent rise in prices caused by the energy crisis, the HUG set up an "Energy Task Force" to identify opportunities for savings and implement them. Technical optimization measures and a vast energy-saving awareness campaign were implemented during the last quarter of 2022, resulting in a 5.4% reduction in electricity consumption compared to the same period in 2021. It represents a savings of 766,408 kWh, which is equivalent to the average annual consumption of 255 households in Geneva. Furthermore, significant heating savings were also achieved during the last two months of the year: the consumption reduction reached 9.8% after climate correction, which represents 2.2 GWh.