Energy as Infrastructure: Solar Is the New Road, Bridge, and School

When we think about infrastructure, we often picture roads, bridges, schools, and water systems as the physical backbone of a functioning community. But in today’s world, energy deserves a place right alongside them.

In rural communities, especially, access to reliable, affordable, and locally controlled power is no longer a luxury, it's a prerequisite for opportunity. Solar energy, in particular, has become more than a clean alternative. It’s emerging as foundational infrastructure that can unlock progress across economic development, education, and healthcare.

Here’s why energy, and solar, needs to be part of every infrastructure conversation moving forward.

Economic Development Starts with Energy

You can’t build small businesses, grow food systems, or run manufacturing without power. For many communities, energy is one of the most expensive and least reliable parts of doing business.

Solar, especially when combined with battery storage, changes the game. It offers:

• Lower energy costs over time, freeing up resources for reinvestment

• Energy independence, especially in places vulnerable to outages or high utility rates

• Local job creation, from solar installation and maintenance to long-term operations

When a community controls its energy, it controls a core piece of its economic future.

Schools and Students Thrive with Stable Power

Education systems rely on consistent electricity to function. Whether it’s lighting, HVAC systems, computers, or internet access, modern learning depends on modern energy.

In communities where students may already face barriers to access and achievement, power outages and high costs only widen the gap. Solar infrastructure helps stabilize these systems by:

• Providing uninterrupted learning environments

• Freeing up school budgets to focus on programming instead of power bills

• Offering STEM learning opportunities through student engagement in clean energy projects

In short, energy isn’t just about keeping the lights on, it’s about powering the next generation of leaders.

Healthcare Access Relies on Energy Resilience

From refrigeration for medicine to critical medical equipment, reliable electricity is a matter of life and death in healthcare. In rural areas, where clinics may be remote and the grid fragile, energy security can make all the difference.

Solar systems with backup batteries or generators can:

• Keep health clinics open during storms, fires, and outages

• Ensure patients receive uninterrupted care

• Help telemedicine services expand into areas that were once unreachable

Energy resilience is healthcare resilience.

Solar Is Infrastructure. Period.

The moment a community gains local control over its energy, especially through renewables, it gains a foundation for everything else.

That’s why solar and energy storage deserve to be funded, designed, and respected just like roads, bridges, and schools. Because in reality, none of those other systems can function well without it.

If you're building for the future, start with energy. It's not just part of the infrastructure conversation... it is the conversation.