Overview

• The US Department of Energy has committed $440 million to equip vulnerable households in Puerto Rico with rooftop solar and battery systems, expected to lower energy costs for 30,000 to 40,000 low-income households and improve energy resilience.
• The initiative aims to support the creation of thousands of local clean energy jobs and help Puerto Rico achieve its 100% renewable energy goal by 2050; first installations are projected to begin in Spring 2024.
• The solar installation program is part of a larger $1 billion effort initiated by the Biden administration to enhance resilience for Puerto Rican households and create job opportunities.
• Eligible beneficiaries include low-income individuals that live in areas prone to frequent and prolonged power outages, relying on electricity-dependent devices and medical equipment, such as dialysis or breathing machines.
• Established nonprofits and solar companies have been chosen to disburse the funding and install the solar panels, taking advantage of existing workforces in Puerto Rico.
• The move comes amid ongoing power issues in Puerto Rico, exacerbated by the impact of Hurricanes Maria and Fiona, which triggered island-wide blackouts and exacerbated the fragile condition of the region's decades-old, largely unreconstructed power grid.