Direct Relief and Treasure Coast Community Health, Inc., today announced the completion of a solar-powered microgrid system at TCCH’s Fellsmere health center. This resilient power installation marks a pivotal step toward safeguarding essential health services in a region frequently exposed to severe storms and utility outages.
As the sole Federally Qualified Health Center in Indian River County, Florida, TCCH provides integrated medical, dental, behavioral, and mental health, and pharmacy services to nearly 28,000 individuals across multiple sites.
The Fellsmere health center serves more than 9,000 patients annually. The new 46-kilowatt solar and 214-kilowatt-hour battery system helps ensure continuity of care by keeping critical systems online when grid power is lost for up to 19 hours.
The project was funded through a grant of $353,000 from Direct Relief’s Power for Health Initiative, which supports U.S. community health centers and free clinics in installing resilient, clean energy systems to safeguard patient care during emergencies and natural disasters. The grant covered 100% of the costs for project development and installation, led by American Microgrid Solutions and PayOli Solar, respectively, as well as five years of operations and maintenance. This marks the first completed Power for Health project in Florida, with eight more under development.
Non-profit community health centers in Florida serve some of the most vulnerable patient populations while facing significant power-related risks. In 2023, a Direct Relief-funded survey of community health centers statewide found that more than 60% of Florida health centers responding to the survey had no backup power systems, and outages cost centers an average of $41,000 per day in lost revenue while threatening vaccine and medication storage.
The urgency of Florida’s energy vulnerabilities is underscored by Direct Relief’s recent Southeast U.S. impact analysis following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. A 2024 post-hurricane survey found that power loss forced temporary closure at more than half of safety-net healthcare providers who responded, resulting in nearly 28,000 canceled or delayed patient visits, spoiled vaccines, and millions of dollars in lost revenue — with Florida health centers among the hardest hit across the region.
“This new solar and battery system is truly life-changing,” said Dr. Heather Miranda, Interim CEO of Treasure Coast Community Health. “In a region frequently impacted by hurricanes, sustainable and reliable energy is essential to providing care and protecting vaccines, medications, and other vital equipment. This system will help ensure the long-term resilience of our health center and allow our team to continue delivering behavioral health, dental, medical, and pharmacy services — even during emergencies.”
“Completing Florida’s first Power for Health solar microgrid is a milestone not only for Treasure Coast but for healthcare energy resilience statewide,” said Sara Rossi, Managing Director of Direct Relief’s Health Resiliency Fund. “Every hurricane presents the stark reminder that without electricity, care stops and patients lose critical access. By investing in clean, reliable backup power, we’re helping Florida health centers stay open to protect community health regardless of disruptions to the grid.”
Gianna Van Winkle, Director of Emergency Management Programs for the Florida Association of Community Health Centers, highlighted the broader implications: “Reliable power is essential for community health centers across Florida, particularly as extreme weather events become more frequent. This solar microgrid at TCCH’s Fellsmere location demonstrates how resilient energy solutions can protect patients, staff, and critical services — and sets a strong example for health centers throughout the state.”
The solar microgrid at TCCH’s Fellsmere health center adds to a growing portfolio of resilient power installations supported by Direct Relief nationwide, aiming to help safety-net health providers sustain operations during emergencies, reduce operating costs, and improve long-term energy independence.
