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Beacon of Hope Food Pantry in Marshall, North Carolina, has installed a microgrid with 56 solar panels and three batteries. The system is designed to keep internet, lighting, heating, cooling and refrigeration in its food distribution area running during grid outages, with most project costs covered by a state grant program for Helene-impacted counties.
Beacon of Hope Food Pantry in Marshall, North Carolina, has installed a microgrid combining 56 rooftop solar panels and three batteries, giving the nonprofit a way to keep key food-distribution services powered during future electricity outages. The project is funded mainly through a state grant program created for communities affected by Hurricane Helene.
The system can power the pantry’s internet and lighting, as well as heating, cooling and refrigeration in its food distribution area. The solar panels generate electricity when the sun is shining, while the batteries store energy for use at night or on cloudy days. The report did not specify the system’s capacity or how long it can supply those loads during an outage.
Beacon executive director Jessi Koontz described the project as a $100,000 installation and said the pantry paid nothing toward that cost. The state grant program, announced last summer, is backed by $5 million in federal infrastructure funding and is intended to support 24 sustainable microgrids in counties affected by Helene. Philanthropic foundation BuildUS also contributed, while Invest Appalachia provided a bridge loan.
The project is among the first to advance through the state program, according to Sara Nichols of Land of Sky Regional Council, which is working with state and nonprofit partners. A microgrid at Bill’s Creek Community Center in Lake Lure is also close to completion. Nichols said the two projects have moved ahead partly because their smaller scale and simpler wiring make them easier to complete.
Keeping Pantry Services Powered
For a food pantry, a power cut can affect more than comfort: it can interrupt refrigeration, communications and food distribution. Backup power for those functions could help Beacon continue serving residents when the electricity network is down, although the source does not provide a duration or guarantee of uninterrupted operation.
Beacon serves about 1,700 families in Madison County each month, Koontz said. Its location above the French Broad River flood zone spared it from the worst of Helene’s flooding, but the new system addresses a different vulnerability: outages that can follow storms, including shorter disruptions. The project also illustrates how public funding and bridge financing can help nonprofits undertake energy installations that may be difficult to pay for upfront.
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Helene Recovery Shapes State Funding
Hurricane Helene’s flooding devastated parts of Marshall in September 2024, damaging businesses and leaving some without water or electricity for months. Beacon of Hope, located about a five-minute drive from downtown and at higher elevation, was largely spared. Koontz said the pantry had water and power, with only a small puddle in its thrift store.
After the storm, Footprint Project and regional partners organized donations and deployed temporary or other microgrid systems at sites including fire stations, nursing homes and mobile home parks. Beacon’s rooftop solar-and-battery installation differs because it is being financed largely through a state-administered program using federal infrastructure funds. The initiative is working with Land of Sky and area nonprofit organizations.
Program progress has been affected by federal requirements for components used in projects receiving infrastructure funding. Nichols told Canary Media that some larger, more complex proposals involve foreign components that do not comply with those rules, and that seeking case-by-case waivers from the U.S. Department of Energy can take time. The program is consequently focusing more on smaller, rural projects, she said.
““We were one of the lucky ones.””
— Jessi Koontz, executive director of Beacon of Hope Food Pantry
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Operating Details Still Pending
The source does not state when the microgrid will be switched on, how much electricity the panels and batteries can provide, or how long the batteries can support the pantry’s listed services during an outage. It also does not give projected annual savings or identify which loads can operate simultaneously. Those details would help show how the system will perform during a prolonged outage.
The state program is intended to install 24 microgrids, but the report does not list the other selected sites or say how many projects are under construction. Beacon and Bill’s Creek were described as the projects furthest along, with their relative status depending in part on when Beacon’s system begins operation.
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More Rural Projects in the Pipeline
Land of Sky and its partners are continuing work on the state initiative, which is scheduled to wrap up by next summer, according to the report. Nichols said the project mix is shifting toward smaller, more rural installations as the group works around equipment and federal funding requirements. Bill’s Creek Community Center in Lake Lure is also nearing completion.
The next milestones include bringing Beacon’s system into operation and advancing additional eligible projects. The source does not provide a commissioning date for Beacon or a detailed schedule for the remaining installations.
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Key Questions
What has Beacon of Hope installed?
The Marshall pantry has installed a microgrid made up of 56 rooftop solar panels and three batteries. The system is intended to supply power to selected pantry services during outages.
What can the microgrid power?
According to the report, it can power the pantry’s internet, lighting, heating, cooling and refrigeration in its food distribution area. Its capacity and expected backup duration were not provided.
Who is paying for the project?
Koontz said the project costs $100,000 and that Beacon paid nothing. The main support comes through a state grant program using federal infrastructure funds; BuildUS also contributed, and Invest Appalachia provided a bridge loan.
How many families does the pantry serve?
Beacon of Hope provides food assistance to about 1,700 families in Madison County each month, according to Koontz.
When will the system be operating?
The report does not give a specific start date. Beacon’s project was among the first to advance through the state program, but the timing of when it will be switched on remains unspecified.
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