Reading Time: 4 minutes

SunTerra Energy Solutions and Innovus Power have commissioned the National Health Fund Smart Solar Microgrid System at the NHF Pharmaceutical Division Warehousing and Storage Facility in Kingston, Jamaica.

The project represents a major advancement in resilient energy infrastructure for critical healthcare operations in the Caribbean and stands as a powerful example of how customised microgrid solutions can protect essential facilities while delivering energy independence, reliability, and long-term cost stability.

The project was made possible through the valued support of Direct Relief, whose funding contribution helped bring this important system to the National Health Fund and the people of Jamaica. Their support reflects a meaningful commitment to strengthening critical healthcare infrastructure and improving resilience where it matters most.

Designed specifically to meet the unique needs of the National Health Fund, the Smart Solar Microgrid will operate as a fully islanded microgrid for approximately 75 per cent of the year, running independently of the national grid whenever solar conditions allow. On an annual basis, the system is expected to produce approximately 80 per cent of the facility’s energy requirements with some months seeing displacement up to 95%.

This unique operating model directly addresses one of NHF’s most important concerns, the need to protect the facility from grid instability and deliver near continuous uptime for a location that supports critical pharmaceutical storage and distribution.

The new microgrid shields the facility by operating independently of the grid for most of the year, while still maintaining the flexibility to connect to the grid when battery levels become low and disconnect again once battery charge is sufficiently restored.

The system also gives the NHF team significant operating flexibility. Through advanced controls, staff can select from multiple operating modes and choose the most appropriate energy source for prevailing conditions. The facility can be powered through solar, battery storage, its own backup generator, or the grid, enabling NHF to optimise reliability, resilience, and operating efficiency at all times.

This architecture provides NHF with true energy independence and flexibility. With solar, batteries, and its own backup generator working together, the facility is able to achieve almost 100 per cent uptime, while retaining the national grid as an additional layer of backup whenever needed.

Purpose Built for a Critical Facility

This was not an off-the-shelf installation. From the outset, the project was developed as a highly customised solution designed around NHF’s operational priorities, including reliability, equipment protection, system flexibility, and long-term durability in a coastal environment.

The result is a state-of-the-art Smart Solar Microgrid that not only lowers dependence on the grid, but gives NHF direct control over how the facility is powered.

“This project demonstrates what can be achieved when technology is tailored to the real-world needs of the customer. NHF needed more than solar savings. They needed reliability, stability, flexibility, and protection for a critical healthcare facility. Together with Innovus Power, we delivered a highly customised Smart Solar Microgrid that will operate islanded from the grid most of the year, produce about 90 per cent of the site’s annual energy requirements, and provide NHF with the level of resilience and control they were seeking. This is a landmark project for Jamaica and a model for the region,” said CEO of SunTerra Energy Emanuel DaRosa

 CEO of Innovus Power Marc Hoffman added: “The NHF Smart Solar Microgrid is a strong example of the future of power for critical infrastructure. This system gives the customer the ability to operate independently, choose how power is dispatched, and maintain extremely high reliability while protecting sensitive equipment from unstable grid conditions. What makes this project especially important is the level of flexibility built into the control system. NHF is not locked into one operating strategy. They have options, and those options give them true energy independence.”

A new standard for critical infrastructure

The completion of the NHF Smart Solar Microgrid marks a new standard for healthcare and mission-critical facilities in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. By combining solar generation, advanced battery storage, intelligent controls, backup generation, and grid integration into a single flexible platform, SunTerra Energy Solutions and Innovus Power have delivered a system that is both innovative and practical.

The project highlights the growing role of microgrids in protecting critical operations, reducing dependence on volatile energy markets, and giving organisations greater control over their energy future.

“For NHF, this project is about protecting one of our most important facilities and strengthening our ability to serve the people of Jamaica. Reliable power is essential to the safe operation of this warehouse, and this solar integration creates a critical pillar of resilience, ensuring we remain fully equipped to protect our inventory and maintain operational stability even during natural disasters or grid instability. It is a major step forward for NHF,” declared the CEO of the National Health Fund, Everton Anderson 

SunTerra Energy Solutions develops and delivers advanced renewable energy and microgrid systems across Jamaica and the Caribbean, with a focus on reliability, performance, and customer-specific design.

Innovus Power designs advanced power control, battery integration, and microgrid solutions for customers requiring lower power costs,  high performance, resilient energy systems with flexible operating capability.