Freiburg (dpa / lsw) – The University Hospital Freiburg expects additional costs in the double-digit million range per year due to the sharp rise in energy prices. It is not yet possible to estimate how high the amount will be, said the senior medical director and CEO Frederik Wenz on Tuesday in Freiburg during a visit by Science Minister Petra Olschowski (Greens). The university hospital, which claims to be the largest in Baden-Württemberg, consumes as much energy as around 35,000 households.
Olschowski said it was not yet clear to what extent the federal government would absorb additional costs. For its part, the country has already built up reserves for emergencies in its budget. “It’s a vague situation because we don’t know exactly how prices will develop.” In the end, support for the facilities will come from the federal government and the federal states – including from Baden-Württemberg.
As the head of the clinic Wenz reported, the cogeneration plant of the university clinic is to be operated with green hydrogen in about five years. This is a pilot project: “We want to be a beacon for Baden-Württemberg’s climate goals,” said the doctor.
