Simplifying the path to a low carbon future for healthcare

Energy flows through the grid in more directions and through more devices than ever before. The energy transition, electrification and digitalization are presenting vast opportunities to not only reduce emissions but also costs.  And the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is helping healthcare organizations make these clean energy projects financially feasible. The IRA supports approximately $370 billion in climate and energy proposals, including tax credits for clean energy technologies such as solar, energy storage, and microgrid controllers. These trends offer a critical starting point for the healthcare industry to address the harmful impacts of climate change.  

So how do you begin your journey to reduce your carbon footprint, while better managing energy costs and strengthening energy resilience?

Optimize power usage

The first step on the path to decarbonization

Starting a decarbonization project doesn’t require you to completely reimagine essential energy systems. The best way to start reducing the emissions of your energy system is to optimize your energy usage, simply using power more efficiently. And the key to using power more effectively hinges on digital technologies; these are the connected devices, data models and analytics that help transform power management by providing the actionable insights needed to prioritize improvements – and they play a major role in sustainability and decarbonization.  For example, Energy Management Systems (EMS) track and benchmark emissions data to identify improvements and sustainability plans.  Additionally, digital technologies can help:

• Cut energy costs even as energy needs increase
• Analyze load management and capacity with digitalization tools
• Use predictive analytics to streamline preventive maintenance

Electrify to reduce carbon emissions

Improve your energy strategy with electrification of major building systems

Once you’ve identified opportunities to optimize power usage, the next step on the path to decarbonization is the electrification of major building systems. If heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) or central utility systems are approaching the end of their life, it’s good to question if these can be replaced with low-carbon electrified alternatives. It is also important to understand electrified alternatives when looking at your deferred maintenance or facilities condition assessment path. Can you start electrifying fleets or adding electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for patients and personnel?

• Create energy systems that do more for sustainability, reliability and the bottom line
• Support reliable emergency power at a fraction of the cost and environmental impact.

Meet sustainability goals and improve resilience with renewables

Maximize the potential of renewable power

The energy transition aims to reduce carbon emissions by replacing carbon-based fuels with renewable energy sources, enforcing clean air regulations. This transition not only benefits the planet but also allows healthcare facilities to develop more sustainable and reliable energy systems, positively impacting their financial performance.

With advances in microgrids, solar, EV charging, energy storage and digitalization, power can now flow bi-directionally, to and from the grid. Eaton’s Buildings as Grid approach creates energy hubs to take advantage of this new power paradigm, better manage existing electrical infrastructure and prepare for future energy requirements. 

• Avoid power outages with local power generation and energy storage
• Intelligently optimize energy consumption and avoid peak demand 
  

Leverage $370 billion in climate and energy funding opportunity

With the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), there are unprecedented opportunities—through direct funds, grants, tax credits, tax incentives and rebates—for your healthcare organization to maximize the return on investment when modernizing critical infrastructure or completing clean energy projects.

The IRA will support approximately $370 billion in climate and energy proposals including energy tax credits for Distributed Energy Resources (wind, solar, energy storage, microgrids and hydropower), hydrogen and nuclear. 

Additionally, the bill modifies and expands the electric vehicle (EV) and EV charging infrastructure (EVCI) tax credits.