Veristar Energy and Black River Memorial Hospital Win 2026 Midwest Inspiring Project Award
260 kW microturbine CHP installation cuts rural hospital operating expenses by $70,000 annually while securing critical
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260 kW microturbine CHP installation cuts rural hospital operating expenses by $70,000 annually while securing critical care energy resiliency.
BLACK RIVER FALLS, WI, UNITED STATES, August 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Veristar Energy today announced that its 260 kW Combined Heat & Power (CHP) project at Black River Memorial Hospital (BRMH)—part of Black River Health—has been named a recipient of the 2026 Midwest Inspiring Project Award by the Midwest Cogeneration Association (MCA).
The annual MCA award recognizes exemplary Distributed Energy Resource (DER) and CHP systems across the Midwest that demonstrate outstanding design, deliver measurable cost and emissions reductions, and strengthen energy resiliency for critical community infrastructure.
“We are honored to receive this recognition from the Midwest Cogeneration Association,” said Justin Rathke, President of Veristar Energy. “Healthcare facilities face a continuous balancing act—maintaining absolute power reliability for patient care while managing rising utility overhead. By engineering a custom microturbine CHP solution for Black River Memorial Hospital, we were able to provide a continuous, ultra-clean power and thermal source that directly protects their operating budget and strengthens site resilience.”
Black River Health, which has a 25-bed critical access hospital and two rural health centers that serves 14,000 rural Wisconsin residents each year, operates under tight financial margins amidst rising utility tariffs and fluctuating fuel costs. To lower facility overhead and protect vital clinical equipment against local grid interruptions, leadership partnered with Veristar Energy to design and deploy an onsite power plant tailored to the facility’s 24/7 operational demands.
The installed system utilizes four Capstone C65 microturbines integrated with advanced thermal recovery modules:
• Continuous Clean Power: Generates over 2 million kWh of baseload electricity annually on-site, taking direct control of energy supply to displace high-cost peak grid purchases.
• Thermal Exhaust Recovery: Recovers 1.6 MMBtu/hr of thermal energy from exhaust gas to produce high-grade hot water, directly offsetting traditional gas-fired boilers for facility space and domestic hot water heating.
• Environmental Impact: Reduces local carbon emissions by 550 metric tons of CO₂ annually equivalent to removing roughly 120 passenger cars from the road.
• Capital Optimization: Leveraged a 40% Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under federal energy incentive programs to significantly lower initial capital outlay and accelerate total project payback.
“As a community health system, every dollar we save on utility spending is a dollar we can redirect directly into patient care, technology, and clinical services,” said Jay McHenry, Facilities Director at Black River Health. “Partnering with Veristar Energy gave us direct control over our energy supply. The microturbine system not only delivers $70,000 in annual cost savings, but its ultra-quiet, oil-free operation and redundant backup capabilities give us complete confidence in our power reliability.”
By integrating air-bearing microturbine technology—which operates with zero liquid coolants or lubricants—the installation delivers ultra-quiet, smooth performance and minimal maintenance friction, establishing BRMH as a model for healthcare energy sustainability and operational stewardship across the Midwest.
About Veristar Energy
Veristar Energy is a North American leader in custom-engineered onsite energy systems, delivering complete, high-reliability solutions across healthcare, data centers, industrial facilities, and oil & gas. By combining deep technical mastery with a full-lifecycle operational approach—from engineering and deployment through long-term maintenance—Veristar helps businesses optimize energy costs, enhance site resiliency, and lower carbon footprints. Backed by institutional capital, Veristar provides onsite generation, Combined Heat & Power (CHP), microgrids, and rental power tailored for maximum uptime and financial ROI. To learn more, visit veristar-energy.com.
About Black River Health & Black River Memorial Hospital
Black River Health is a community-focused healthcare system serving Jackson County and surrounding rural Wisconsin communities. Its flagship hospital facility, Black River Memorial Hospital (BRMH), is a 25-bed critical access hospital and Level 4 trauma center located in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Serving a rural population of more than 14,000 residents, Black River Health is dedicated to delivering compassionate, high-quality, and resilient healthcare services across the region.
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Leshanne Pretty
Veristar Energy
+1 888-282-2071
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