Signature Healthcare ups its investment in clean energy

Brockton Hospital’s new battery energy storage system will be fully operational this year.

Image courtesy of Signature Healthcare

Massachusetts-based health system Signature Healthcare is installing 1.9-megawatt solar panels atop four new carport canopies in Brockton Hospital’s parking lot as part of an ongoing program of infrastructure improvements that began in 2018.

The system, which consists of a battery energy storage system and state-of-the art microgrid controls, will help offset peak energy demands and serve as an on-site generation resource to supplement the energy supply in the event of a short-term disturbance. The project also includes additional electrical gear, switchboards and a recloser, completing the infrastructure for distributing energy and making it fully operational.

This latest initiative includes stormwater management, with the design and buildout of the carports including drainage systems to funnel water into existing sewers. New asphalt parking lots and rebuilt curbs have also been incorporated into the plan, which will help save costs in the future.

“Installing this combined renewable solution on our Brockton campus will allow us to realize a number of benefits, including capital cost reduction, utility bill cost savings, less future cost volatility and grid-based revenue generation,” says Stephen Borges, vice president of finance operations at Signature Healthcare. 

The system will be installed and operated by Siemens Corp. as part of a 25-year power purchase agreement between the two partners.