Capital Link, along with our CHARGE partners, NACHC and Collective Energy, and Clean Energy Group, has been chosen to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) for Energy Improvements in Remote or Rural Areas (ERA). We are one of 17 projects selected for an award negotiation of up to $57 million, which will go toward our work supporting solar panel and battery backup storage microgrid installations at rurally-located health centers in eight Southeastern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
In 2022, rural areas of the Southeast experienced more weather-related power outages than any other part of the country. Health centers rely on electricity to access patient records, operate medical and diagnostic equipment, and keep medication and vaccines refrigerated. When the power goes out, health centers face serious costs—not only in lost revenue from patient visits and contaminated medication—but in their ability to deliver critical health services to communities in need. As climate- and weather-related electrical outages become more commonplace, a solar+storage microgrids ensure continuity of care, reduce operational costs, and enhance energy resiliency and sustainability.
“When a natural disaster strikes, solar+storage allows health centers to focus on their main priority: providing essential health care to their patients,” said Becky Regan, CEO of Capital Link. “Microgrids not only decrease power-related financial losses, but they also offer long-term cost savings and a reduction in carbon emissions. This generous funding award will enable CHARGE to make clean, reliable, and efficient power more accessible and affordable for health centers in the states that need it most, increasing their ability to provide continuous and equitable care to the communities they serve.”
"We are stepping into a new era of clean energy and climate resilience for our communities," said Michael Curry, Board Chair of Capital Link and President of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. "This funding is a call to action, driving us to make sustainable choices for the well-being of our patients and the environmental health of our communities. We shouldn't be questioning 'Why?' but rather embracing 'Why Not?' when integrating solar and battery backup in health centers. Our vision is that every health center in Massachusetts and across the nation have at least one site with solar+storage, ushering in a sustainable and resilient future for all."
Read more about the project, here: https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-harris-administration-announces-366-million-lower-energy-costs-and-enhance-energy