Federal tax programs and many state and local incentives are available to help healthcare facilities upgrade their energy infrastructure and develop systems independent of the electric grid or back-up generators, according to an article the FaciitiesNet website.

U.S. hospitals spend nearly $5 billion annually on energy and related costs. Most main hospital buildings in the U.S. are more than 20 years old so a significant portion of that spending could be curbed through improvements in energy use, the article said.

Some facilities are using Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to fund infrastructure improvements with little-to-no upfront costs. A PPA also allows the institution to purchase electricity and/or thermal power from the PPA provider and through these payments, the hospital is also paying off a portion of the cost of a new system.  

There also is a range of incentives encouraging healthcare facilities to install combined heat and power (CHP) technologies, which offer reliable off-grid power during major disruptions.

Read the article.