Collective Energy
Collective Energy is a mission-driven microgrid developer ensuring low-income communities have reliable healthcare access, even when the grid is down. They design, install, and finance clean, resilient solar and battery storage systems for community healthcare centers and other essential community-based nonprofits. Collective Energy has completed eight projects that connect critical community facilities to renewable energy, offsetting over 500 metric tons of GHG emissions while guaranteeing continued care for over 30,000 patients.
The Problem
The U.S. leads the developed world in power outages, which have become more frequent and longer-lasting due to climate change and extreme weather events. Power is a necessity for community-based health organizations; without it, healthcare providers cannot serve their patients, refrigerated medicines spoil, client records are inaccessible, and technology systems are ineffective. Community health centers (CHCs) across the country serve over 30 million patients, many of whom have limited access to healthcare, housing, and other social services. Despite delivering critical care to the most at-risk communities, more than 60% of CHCs lack backup power sources, leaving patients without essential care, while also putting them at risk of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars during an outage. Even health centers with backup generators often struggle to meet the baseline energy demands of their facilities and face disruptions in fuel delivery during disasters. Resource-constrained CHCs generally lack the funds to cover the upfront costs of solar installations and the expertise to navigate the development process.
The Solution
Collective Energy ensures reliable healthcare access for low-income communities by providing a turnkey solution to design, install, and finance microgrids. Their innovative approach enables CHCs to continue vital services during power outages, reducing financial losses and maintaining patient care while enhancing climate resilience. Additionally, Collective Energy’s systems help CHCs save on day-to-day energy costs, and reduce their carbon footprints, supporting a sustainable and dependable energy future.
For CHCs with the desire and resources to own their microgrid projects, Collective Energy provides consulting services and manages the development process on their behalf. For those without the resources to own the projects, Collective Energy identifies financing opportunities for low-income communities and renewable energy initiatives, develops and operates the systems, and assumes ownership of these projects. They then sell energy back to health centers over a 20-year period, ensuring long-term sustainability, energy reliability, and cost savings.
Collective Energy is rapidly scaling their solution in partnership with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and Capital Fund, a health-focused CDFI lender, by embedding their offerings alongside trusted industry partners. Over the next seven years, Collective Energy aims to develop hundreds of microgrid projects that will guarantee reliable, low-cost power to CHCs serving between 800,000 and 1.2 million underserved patients. Once Collective Energy reaches scale with CHCs, they will explore how their model can be applied to support food banks, schools, and other critical community-based organizations, bringing resilient, affordable power to the communities most in need.
Impact
To date, Collective Energy’s eight completed projects support continued care for over 30,000 low- to moderate-income patients. They have another 35 projects under construction and over 300 in development. Collective Energy’s project with San Fernando Community Health Center will generate 170 MWh annually, mitigate 113 metric tons of CO2, and save the health center $200,000 in energy costs over the next 20 years.
Leadership
Andrew MacCalla
Andrew, co-founder and CEO, has nearly 20 years of experience responding to disasters both domestically and internationally. He previously served as VP at Direct Relief. His work supporting 25 health centers with solar installations inspired him to launch Collective Energy.
Melissa MacCalla
Melissa, co-founder and VP of Marketing and Communications, brings 20 years of pipeline planning and market research to the role from her experience in publishing and commercial construction development.