Two years after Hurricane Helene flooded downtown Marshall, North Carolina, the Beacon of Hope Food Pantry is better prepared for the next storm. The nonprofit, which sits on higher ground and was spared the worst of the flooding, has installed a microgrid with 56 rooftop solar panels and three batteries. The system can keep internet, lighting, heating, cooling, and refrigeration running in its food distribution area.
The roughly $100,000 project was paid for almost entirely by a $5 million state grant program funded through the Biden-era bipartisan infrastructure law. Beacon of Hope is the first site to finish under the initiative, according to Sara Nichols of the Land of Sky Regional Council. A microgrid at Bill's Creek Community Center in Lake Lure is close behind.
Other funders helped close gaps: BuildUS contributed philanthropic support, and Invest Appalachia provided a bridge loan to cover costs while the nonprofit waits for federal rebates. State officials say the program is now prioritizing smaller, more rural projects because larger ones often require foreign components that do not comply with federal rules for infrastructure funding, and waivers are slow to obtain.