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A grant of $100,000 has been awarded to Meritus Health to analyze, plan for and design a potential microgrid – a small-scale power grid that can operate independently or in conjunction with an electrical grid – for the hospital campus. The Resilient Maryland Planning Grant awards were given to eight organizations in the state through the Maryland Energy Administration.

“In addition to focusing on the health of the community, Meritus Health strives to be a good steward of the environment, including updating our energy infrastructure to be greener and more reliable,” says Dave Lehr, Meritus Health’s first chief strategy officer. “Our mission includes constantly improving overall patient experience, but we are always also looking for ways to enhance efficiency and reduce overall costs and increasingly turning our attention to sustainability, especially in the areas of energy, water and the supply chain.”

According to the Department of Homeland Security, hospital infrastructure systems are critical elements of health care and public health resources. The protection of hospitals is of vital interest for the state, county and community during non-routine circumstances, as well as in the event of a disaster.

“During the next 9-12 months, we will assess a microgrid system appropriate for Meritus Health, measuring the health and economic benefits for the hospital and all for the patients we serve,” says Lehr. “In a hospital setting, it is absolutely critical to patient safety for a large portion of the electrical grid to be uninterrupted at all times. Investing in the sustainability and reliability of our vital systems makes us a better resource to the community.”

Lehr says the primary justification driving the exploration of a microgrid is increased grid resiliency for equipment critical to vulnerable patients, the electronic health records system and other essential needs within the hospital environment.