Key Highlights :
As Puerto Rico struggles with an unreliable and unaffordable energy system, the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) is stepping in to help. President Biden has directed the DoE to lead a "supercharged effort" to repair the failing grid and accelerate its transition to clean energy. To do so, the DoE is working with federal and local agencies and six national laboratories to provide resources and technical assistance.
But while the DoE is working to bring about a long-term transformation, Puerto Ricans are already harnessing effective solutions to boost energy reliability in the archipelago. From rooftop solar and backup battery systems to microgrids, local solutions are providing much-needed relief to those who can't afford the expensive electricity rates in the U.S. territory.
Crystal Díaz, a resident of Cayey, is one of many Puerto Ricans who have grown tired of the energy system they can't rely on. She runs a produce-delivery business and is forced to buy expensive diesel for generators when the electricity fails. “No other place in the country has this kind of horrible electric system. It's just not right,” said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm during her recent visit to Puerto Rico.
Granholm and her Puerto Rico Grid Modernization Team are turning to Puerto Ricans themselves to determine which communities to begin with, how to serve people with the greatest need, and what strategies will have the widest reach. Residents across the archipelago are sharing their experiences with Puerto Rico's fickle energy grid and their visions of decentralized, community-centric energy systems.
The DoE has also established the $1 billion Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund to deliver reliable, affordable power to the most vulnerable residents as quickly as possible. The department wants to start disbursing the resilience fund by the end of this year.
Rooftop solar and backup battery systems are a rapid and direct way to answer the needs of vulnerable households. Installation of photovoltaic, or PV, systems across the archipelago has increased tenfold since Hurricane Maria in 2017. But in a place where the median annual income is $21,967, the technology remains beyond reach for many.
Microgrids are another attractive solution, and something the town of Castañer has adopted. It is one of many local solutions already boosting energy reliability in Puerto Rico. As the DoE works to make the transformation to renewable energy, these local solutions are providing much-needed relief to the people of Puerto Rico.