SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS and HOUSTON – Dec. 2, 2024 – North Shore Community Health has
entered into a two-year renewable energy agreement with ENGIE Resources LLC, a subsidiary of ENGIE
North America (ENGIE). North Shore Community Health Center (NSCH) will receive Renewable Energy
Credits (RECs) to match 100% of forecasted consumption for its three northeast Massachusetts
locations.
“Embracing an environmentally friendly mindset benefits communities of all shapes and sizes. Our
commitment to sustainability is one step on a journey towards creating healthier and vibrant
communities,” said Maggie Brennan, President and CEO.
NSCH is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) with three full-time sites and two school-based health
centers in Salem, Peabody, and Gloucester, serving 14,000 patients annually. NSCH provides highquality, culturally competent primary care, including medical, dental, behavioral health, and substance use
disorder services. NSCH also offers chronic disease management, health education, language
interpretation, and health insurance enrollment assistance to ensure accessible healthcare for all. NSCH
is committed to serving everyone, regardless of ability to pay, and uses a sliding fee scale for its services
based on family size and income.
Based on national Health Center Program data, FQHCs in the United States provide accessible and
comprehensive primary care to more than 30 million patients, or 8.3% of the population.
NSCH has also undertaken other environmental-focused project initiatives including: energy-efficient LED
light upgrades, implementing motion-sensor controlled lighting for exam rooms, fostering environmentally
friendly dining practices, and retaining a hybrid work model to help lower emissions created by long
commutes.
“We serve more than 200 hospitals across our footprint,” said Ted Conway, business development
manager at ENGIE Resources. “It’s an honor to serve this sector and we admire the commitment of
NSCH to provide vital community services and make a significant contribution to support renewable
energy.”
The Green-e® certified RECs purchased in the agreement will equal 100% of North Shore’s demand,
equivalent to the CO2 emissions from nearly 302,325 pounds of coal burned, or the greenhouse gas
emissions avoided by 95.3 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled.* NSCH will also achieve budget
certainty throughout the agreement term with a fixed price structure.
Green-e® RECs represent the environmental benefits of one MWh of renewable energy, and are certified
by the nonprofit Center for Resource Solutions. Certification ensures that RECs are properly accounted
for and that no double counting takes place.
Serving as advisor on the agreement is Voyager Power, Massachusetts. Voyager provides solutions
across the energy value chain and helps commercial and industrial customers to achieve sustainability
targets and energy compliance.
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About North Shore Community Health
In operation since 1977, North Shore Community Health is a network of family health centers dedicated to
building healthy communities by providing exceptional, comprehensive care to all. Serving over 14,000
patients across three full-time family practice sites in Salem, Peabody, and Gloucester, two school-based
health centers and five community-based locations, NSCH provides high quality, culturally competent,
comprehensive primary care, including medical, dental, behavioral health, and substance use disorder
treatment services. Our patient-centered approach ensures that every individual receives high-quality
care, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. For more information, visit www.nschi.org.
About ENGIE North America
Based in Houston, Texas, ENGIE North America Inc. is a regional hub of ENGIE, a global leader in lowcarbon energy and services. ENGIE (ENGI), is listed on the Paris and Brussels Stock Exchanges.
Together with our 97,000 employees around the globe, our customers, partners and stakeholders, we are
committed to accelerate the transition toward a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy
consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Inspired by our purpose (“raison d’être”), we
reconcile economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on our key
businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to our customers. In North
America, ENGIE helps our clients achieve their energy efficiency, reliability, and ultimately, their
sustainability goals, as we work together to shape a sustainable future. We accomplish this through:
energy efficiency projects, providing energy supply (including renewables and natural gas), and the
development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets (wind, solar, storage and more). For
more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed,
www.linkedin.com/company/engie-north-america-inc and www.linkedin.com/company/engie-north-america-inc.
Media Contacts:
North Shore Community Health
Eva Maynard, External Relations Manager
eva.maynard@nschi.org
Ph: 978-744-8388
ENGIE North America
Michael Clingan
michael.clingan@external.engie.com
Ph: 832-745-6057
Tag Archive for: community
San Marcos, CA and Houston – The San Marcos Unified School District (SMUSD) today announced the unveiling of its district-wide fleet electrification project, marking a significant step toward sustainability and energy efficiency. This initiative, in conjunction with ENGIE North America (ENGIE), includes extensive energy infrastructure upgrades, aligns with the District’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint while achieving substantial cost savings.
At the heart of the project is the transformation of the District’s transportation center. The District’s fleet of 84 school buses, has been transformed with new 33 electric buses (eBuses) as part of the first phase of the program. The new transportation center includes a microgrid for backup power, the installation of 40 eBus charging stations, infrastructure for an additional 35 future charging stations, onsite solar power generation, battery energy storage as well as microgrid controls.
In addition to the new transportation center, the project represents a major investment in the District’s future, with district-wide energy cost control measures including interior and exterior LED lighting upgrades at 19 sites and one sports complex, solar installations totaling 8,000 kWh across three locations, battery energy storage systems at two sites, and comprehensive HVAC upgrades at the North County Regional Education Center. These efforts are projected to result in $40 million in net energy savings over the term of the contract.
“We are thrilled to be at the forefront of these cost savings measures that promote environmental stewardship and operational efficiency,” said Dr. Andy Johnsen, Superintendent of San Marcos Unified School District. “This project not only advances our sustainability goals but also enhances the learning environment for our students by ensuring that our resources are used effectively and responsibly.”
“Across the district, LED lighting retrofits at 19 sites will significantly cut energy costs,” said Courtney Jenkins, vice president of energy solutions at ENGIE North America. “The solar systems will produce renewable electricity that would otherwise be purchased from the grid, and battery energy storage will allow some of that clean power to be used during peak-demand hours to minimize utility surcharges. We are proud to partner with San Marcos to help enable such powerful environmental, economic and educational impact.”
Funding for this project has been secured through a combination of federal and state resources. The District is expected to receive $3.5 million in federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as $1.75 million in local grants and rebates for the EV infrastructure. Additionally, approximately $11.5 million has been received through grants and incentives for the purchase of the 40 eBuses over the program’s initial years.
Keeping with local utility policies, the district plans to install additional solar capacity as more electric buses and chargers are deployed. The microgrid’s battery energy storage system will also be used to strategically store and discharge power when prices are high and the fleet needs to be charged. During power outages the microgrid will operate independently of the utility grid, drawing energy from the solar and battery storage system — and from the backup generator as needed — to keep buses rolling. This builds resiliency into the system and ensures that the district can get students home during emergencies and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events.
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About the San Marcos Unified School District
The San Marcos Unified School District (SMUSD) is one of the top five school districts in San Diego County, with blue ribbon, gold ribbon, and California Distinguished Schools, providing an unparalleled educational experience. SMUSD operates 19 schools and serves 19,000 students annually. Led by Superintendent Dr. Andy Johnsen and a five-member Governing Board, together they seek to cultivate an engaging and supportive environment by retaining the region’s top educators, where students are challenged, inspired, and poised to excel.
About ENGIE North America
Based in Houston, Texas, ENGIE North America Inc. is a regional hub of ENGIE, a global leader in low-carbon energy and services. ENGIE (ENGI), is listed on the Paris and Brussels Stock Exchanges. Together with our 97,000 employees around the globe, our customers, partners and stakeholders, we are committed to accelerate the transition toward a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Inspired by our purpose, we reconcile economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on our key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to our customers. In North America, ENGIE helps our clients achieve their energy efficiency, reliability, and ultimately, their sustainability goals, as we work together to shape a sustainable future. We accomplish this through: energy efficiency projects, providing energy supply (including renewables and natural gas), and the development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets (wind, solar, storage and more). For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, https://www.engie-na.com/ and https://www.engie.com.
Contacts:
San Marcos Unified School District
Amy Ventetuolo, PIO
cmiller@jsusd.org
760-803-4880
ENGIE North America
Michael Clingan, External Relations
Michael.clingan@external.engie.com
832-745-6057
Comprehensive energy program will leverage Federal funding to implement integrated solutions at all 27 school sites and capture an expected $106 million in net energy savings.
VENTURA, Calif. and HOUSTON – Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) recently approved a contract with ENGIE North America (ENGIE) for comprehensive solar, LED building lighting, customized sports facility LED lighting, and an integrated STEM internship and student engagement program. As the first K-12 school district along the Central Coast to leverage Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding, VUSD will also utilize bond funding to help pay for the project and expand its technical scope which will positively improve sustainability outcomes across the District.
Serving approximately 15,000 students across 27 school and campus facility sites, VUSD leadership and the supporting community have long prioritized the design of a financially-viable energy program to capture energy savings and align with local and state climate action goals. ENGIE worked with the District to lock in favorable Net Energy Metering 2.0 rates for the next 20 years. VUSD is also committed to delivering sustainable solutions across all school sites – many of which are located in economically underserved parts of the city.
This project is financially attractive for the District and will reduce its overall electricity costs by 70 percent over 30 years. This work will be done across schools with a Southern California-based team of ENGIE project engineers. The combined project scope will include:
• 4,708 kW solar PV scope across 25 sites and parking canopy solar structures;
• Interior/exterior LED lighting and occupancy sensor controls at nine sites;
• Sports Field LED lighting at Buena High School and Ventura High School, reusing existing lighting infrastructure poles to minimize extended construction impact on the fields; and
• Integrated STEM offerings aligned with real-time project data production, including professional development for teachers, hands-on engineering design learning for students, and six dedicated summer intern opportunities for local students.
The VUSD program is expected to save $133 million in energy costs over the lifetime of the project. The District should be eligible for $14 million in IRA federal funding dollars that will go directly to it after the project is completely constructed.
“As thoughtful stewards of our community’s resources, Ventura Unified has been interested in solar energy and high-efficiency LED lighting systems for many years. Unfortunately, making those changes was cost-prohibitive until recently,” stated Board President, Sabrena Rodriguez. “Thanks to the generosity of our community by passing Measure E, a general obligation bond to update our schools, we can now make these changes a reality. These changes are not only a positive step towards sustainability and resilience for the District, but they will also provide opportunities for our students and staff to learn about how green technologies can be good for the financial bottom line — creating a win-win for the community and our schools.”
“The IRA is a true gamechanger for our ENGIE customers – now that we are seeing local leaders like VUSD start to directly build out projects that leverage potential IRA funding, it is clear what a win-win this is for energy communities across the U.S.,” said Jean-Francois Chartrain, Managing Director, Energy Solutions Americas at ENGIE. “We are excited to help VUSD expedite their plan for long-term sustainability that will enhance and elevate the District’s financial and environmental impact through our range of comprehensive solutions.”
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About VUSD
The Ventura Unified School District (VUSD) is located in Southern California, in the coastal city of Ventura, approximately 70 miles north of Los Angeles. The District is made up of an early childhood education program, 26 elementary, middle, and high schools, with approximately 15,000 school-age students, an adult education center, 2,000 staff, and a wealth of parents and community members who all strive to help our children find their passion—academically and personally. For more information, visit www.venturausd.org.
About ENGIE North America
Based in Houston, Texas, ENGIE North America Inc. is a regional hub of ENGIE, a global leader in low-carbon energy and services. ENGIE (ENGI), is listed on the Paris and Brussels Stock Exchanges. Together with our 96,000 employees around the globe, our customers, partners and stakeholders, we are committed to accelerate the transition toward a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Inspired by our purpose (“raison d’être”), we reconcile economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on our key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to our customers. In North America, ENGIE helps our clients achieve their energy efficiency, reliability, and ultimately, their sustainability goals, as we work together to shape a sustainable future. We accomplish this through: energy efficiency projects, providing energy supply (including renewables and natural gas), and the development, construction and operation of renewable energy assets (wind, solar, storage and more). For more information on ENGIE North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, https://www.engie-na.com/ and https://www.engie.com.
Contacts:
VUSD
Marieanne Quiroz, Director of Communications / PIO
marieanne.quiroz@venturausd.org
805-641-5000
ENGIE North America
Michael Clingan, Press and External Relations
Michael.clingan@external.engie.com
832-745-6057
Projects will support lower cost energy for households, organizations and businesses often unable to participate in the benefits of the energy transition.
HOUSTON – ENGIE North America (ENGIE) is collaborating with Microsoft on the development of two community solar projects in Illinois that will serve historically excluded communities and significantly reduce electricity costs for them.
ENGIE will develop, construct, and operate two new community solar gardens, one in Lena, IL west of Rockford, and a second in downstate Illinois. Together, the projects are expected to have a capacity of 4.75 MW, enough to meet the annual electricity needs of more than 1,000 average Illinois households with clean, carbon emissions-free power.
ENGIE and Microsoft will work with leading community solar provider, Solstice, who engages directly with residents, businesses, and community organizations to enroll and manage community solar customers with local community gardens like the ones in Lena and downstate Illinois. Community solar enables households, small businesses and other organizations to benefit from renewable electricity without the need to install their own panels by effectively sharing local, centralized installations. Solstice’s partnership and community organizing model help provide access to renewables for the estimated 77% of Americans who do not have access to roof space or the financial means to install rooftop systems and expands access to traditionally excluded populations.
Traditional approaches to financing have limited the ability of many to install roof-top solar. Solstice has pioneered EnergyScore, a machine learning algorithm to qualify individuals more inclusively and accurately for green products. The focus for these two solar gardens will be on providing access to renewable power to traditionally under-resourced communities, not-for-profit organizations, and other economically disadvantaged groups.
Customers who subscribe to the solar garden program will not only be supporting the transition to a lower carbon future but will also benefit from reduced electricity costs. Because of Microsoft’s involvement in financing the development, customers subscribed to these two solar gardens can expect to see even greater savings than from the current Illinois Shines community solar program. Once fully subscribed, the two solar gardens could save Illinois subscribers around $450,000 in total, with some subscribers benefiting from up to 60% savings through participation.
“At a time when energy costs are rising and are a particular burden on lower income communities, the opportunity to access clean, renewable, locally produced power and reduce daily costs is an important part of accelerating the energy transition in a just way – widening the population who can benefit as we all work to decarbonize our economy” said Laura Caspari, Senior Vice President Power Marketing and Commercial Strategy, ENGIE North America. “This innovative collaboration with Microsoft to help grow access to lower cost renewables for residents and organizations across Illinois reflects our shared desire to widen the positive impact of the energy transition to an increasingly diverse set of communities.”
“As we at Microsoft work toward a more sustainable and equitable future, we are pleased to collaborate with ENGIE and Solstice to help facilitate access to lower cost community solar for communities who have previously been excluded from these opportunities,” shared Danielle Decatur, Microsoft Director of Environmental Justice.
In Illinois, community solar projects were enabled through the 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) and subsequent 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). Power from the solar gardens is fed into the local grid and credited to customers through their existing utility bills with ComEd and Ameren. This new project model provides renewable volume above-and-beyond existing state programs. ENGIE is hopeful that in the future similar projects will bring economic benefit to under-resourced communities in Illinois while accelerating the state’s energy transition goals.
Construction of the two projects both in rural counties, will be led by ENGIE’s Chicago based team and is expected to commence later this year.
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About the ENGIE Group
The ENGIE Group (made up of ENGIE S.A. and its subsidiaries and affiliates) is a global leader in low-carbon energy and services. With its 96,000 employees, its customers, partners and stakeholders, the Group is committed to accelerate the transition toward a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions. Inspired by its purpose (“raison d’être”), ENGIE reconciles economic performance with a positive impact on people and the planet, building on its key businesses (gas, renewable energy, services) to offer competitive solutions to its customers. ENGIE S.A. (ENGI), is listed on the Paris and Brussels Stock Exchanges.
In North America, ENGIE companies have delivered integrated, innovative energy solutions to public and private organizations for nearly half a century. We employ approximately 3,000 people focused on enabling our customers to become more sustainable and achieve their decarbonization targets through expert project delivery and competitive solutions. For more information on ENGIE in North America, please visit our LinkedIn page or Twitter feed, https://www.engie-na.com/ and https://www.engie.com.
About Solstice
Solstice is dedicated to bringing affordable solar power to the 77% of Americans who cannot install a rooftop system. It connects residents and community organizations to nearby shared solar farms, creates financing innovations that expand access to underserved Americans (the EnergyScore), and provides frictionless subscriber management software for community solar projects. Solstice has partnered with municipalities, employers, and nonprofits across the country and won awards from the Department of Energy, Inc. Magazine, and Elle. Together with its partners, Solstice is building an equitable energy future for every American.
Media Contacts:
ENGIE North America: Michael Clingan, michael.clingan@external.engie.com
Solstice: mary@solstice.us