In various communities, critical institutions such as hospitals, places of worship, and recreation centers play a pivotal role in fostering unity and providing assistance in times of need.
Currently, community centers are embracing solar and storage solutions to ensure reliable power, exploring innovative models for solar savings and community benefits along the way.
Here’s a nationwide overview of how this transformation is taking place:
Solar Empowers Places of Worship
Thanks to recent federal clean energy incentives, places of worship are adopting solar technology at an unprecedented rate. Previously, these incentives were only accessible to homeowners and commercial entities, but the new legislation allows nonprofits and places of worship to leverage them, reducing the initial costs of solar adoption.
Some churches are taking it a step further by sharing their solar savings with the community. For instance, in Washington, DC, Sargent Memorial Presbyterian’s solar array, completed earlier this year with support from local groups like SunLight General Capital and SunCatch Energy, is not only meeting the church’s energy needs but also providing up to $500 a year in energy savings for 73 households.
Solar is also enhancing community service missions for places of worship. Churches equipped with solar and storage systems are serving as resilience hubs, offering safety, shelter, and reliable electricity during power outages and natural disasters.
Glad Tidings International Church, near Oakland, CA, is constructing a solar-powered microgrid to provide clean power for their operations, saving over $30,000 annually on energy costs. These savings will contribute to building a new community center, turning the church into a resilience center for the community during emergencies.
Bishop Jerry Macklin, pastor of Glad Tidings, emphasized the collective responsibility in addressing challenges, stating, “I think now people are beginning to understand that this is everybody’s problem, and everybody has to be a part of the solution.”
Reliable Solar Energy for Healthcare Centers
Ensuring constant and resilient energy sources is crucial for hospitals, clinics, and healthcare centers, especially during weather emergencies and natural disasters.
Recent changes in federal regulations by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services allow U.S. hospitals to use clean energy for backup generators. This shift is encouraging hospitals across America to turn to solar for reliable, cost-effective energy.
Southern Illinois Healthcare, for example, is using community solar to power its multi-hospital system, saving $119,000 per year on electricity costs and improving overall sustainability.
In response to potential blackouts caused by heatwaves, the San Benito Health Foundation in Hollister, CA, installed a solar + storage microgrid, supplying almost all of its energy needs and providing a week’s worth of backup power. The clinic serves a predominantly uninsured population of people of color, making it a vital lifeline in the community.
Rosa Vivian Fernandez, CEO of San Benito, expressed hope that their initiative would serve as a model for other community health centers.
As solar energy continues to expand, communities nationwide are recognizing the diverse benefits it brings, promoting healthier lives, cleaner air, and economic savings. Whether in schools, homes, places of worship, hospitals, or elsewhere, solar power is driving abundant, clean energy in communities across the country.