Doctors are prescribing solar—but it's not what you think

Doctors are writing a new kind of prescription for patients in need—not for medication—but for solar power. Physicians at Boston Medical Center (BMC) are providing clean energy credits to eligible patients thanks to a groundbreaking sustainability initiative called the Clean Power Prescription Program, which launched last fall and is the first of its kind in the U.S. 

The pilot program aims to reduce the cost of electricity for low-income patients with chronic medical needs, and who are also struggling with energy insecurity, which is when someone can’t afford to meet their household energy needs. As of now, roughly 65 patients take part in the program, and can participate for a 12-month period.

It’s all made possible by BMC’s 356-kilowatt solar array, which consists of 519 solar panels on the roof of its administrative building. The renewable energy generated by the panels not only helps power the hospital, but is also shared with patients in the form of a monthly credit of around $50 that goes toward their electric bill.

Anna Goldman, MD, a primary care physician at BMC who co-founded the Clean Power Prescription program, originally got the idea for the initiative after writing hundreds of letters to energy companies to prevent her patients’ utilities from being shut off. Under Massachusetts law, utility companies are banned from shutting off services to individuals who are seriously ill or facing financial hardship.

BMC partners with Eversource and the SMART program, run by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, to send the excess solar energy that its panels produce back to the grid (a process known as net metering), earning credits for patients in the Clean Power Prescription program. 

To qualify for the program, patients must be located in the Southeast Massachusetts and Boston load zone, use Eversource as their energy provider, and be enrolled in BMC's Complex Care Management Program, which supports Medicaid patients with complex medical, behavioral health, and social needs. Once enrolled, patients are also given a special referral pathway to Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD), a nonprofit that provides resources to help lift low-income residents out of poverty. 

Goldman, who is also BMC’s medical director of climate and sustainability, said that low-income communities in Massachusetts are especially vulnerable because energy costs are so high there. According to a December 2024 report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Massachusetts had the third-highest residential electricity price in the nation in 2023.

“The average family in Massachusetts spends 3% of their income on utilities. In low-income households, it's 10%, and in some neighborhoods, it's upwards of 30%, so it's just really expensive to keep the lights on” said Goldman. The letters she wrote “were preventing a crisis, but not addressing the underlying issue,” and inspired her to find a better solution.

BMC relied on Inflation Reduction Act tax credits to offset the costs of its solar project, including the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit, which provides incentives for clean energy investments that benefit low-income households. 

The future of IRA tax credits remains unclear as President Trump has sought to repeal the IRA to fund his tax cut and border security agenda since entering office. In their latest budget bill, Congressional Republicans have proposed slashing clean energy investments to fund the current administration’s spending cuts—although there’s been an increase in bipartisan support as some GOP representatives have voiced their desire to preserve the credits.

Meanwhile, Dr. Goldman hopes to expand patient access to the program through partnerships with local organizations and businesses. They can also claim the credit by contributing at least 50% of the power generated by their solar panel system to Clean Power Prescription. The program was originally able to get off the ground with funding from donors like TD Bank and Takeda, and more recently, Solstice, with more fundraising initiatives underway.

Goldman states that there are “thousands of patients to serve,” and that BMC also plans to install more solar arrays on its campus to generate additional energy credits that can be funneled toward more patients.

According to a recent study of New York City residents, energy insecurity is linked to increased odds of respiratory, mental health, and cardiovascular conditions among residents. From running medical devices like nebulizers and CPAP machines to simply using AC in the summer, there are so many ways that “keeping the lights on is essential to staying healthy,” according to Goldman.

Although the program is still in its beginning stages, Goldman hopes it has a lasting impact on the physical and mental health—as well as the financial well-being—of BMC patients.

“Health is wealth is a core value at BMC, and within the medical community, there’s an understanding of how much being low income shortens your life and and worsens health outcomes.”

Programs like the Clean Power Prescription are just one way that Goldman said BMC is able to “serve vulnerable patients who are most affected by climate change and environmental pollution.” And they’re not stopping there: The hospital has plenty more exciting sustainability projects in the works, from reducing plastic waste produced by its pharmacies to using its food farm to educate Boston public school children on the benefits of locally sourced food.