Brady PieperThe federal government is investing millions to bolster Puerto Rico’s energy grid and expand renewable energy production for residents of the island.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is entering into award negotiations with four Puerto-Rican-based deployment teams to install solar energy technology and advanced battery storage systems in communities affected by recent natural disasters. Allocated through the Programa de Comunidades Resilientes, the negotiations could result in up to $365 million in federal investments to reinforce Puerto Rico’s renewable energy grid, develop local workforce initiatives and mitigate future hurricane damage.
The Programa de Comunidades Resilientes is a federal grant initiative which seeks to enhance community-level energy resilience in Puerto Rico’s vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Funded by the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund, the program will advance the island’s transition to clean, reliable and affordable solar energy.
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The four selected teams, consisting of community-based organizations, nonprofits, various solar installation companies, government agencies and universities, will coordinate the deployment of renewable energy infrastructure across the Commonwealth’s plethora of multi-family properties and community healthcare facilities. The federal investments will also encourage the creation of power emergency plans for residents in the case of future emergencies.
The teams will conduct a variety of infrastructure projects and energy-efficient initiatives to expand solar energy resources, including installing photovoltaic panel systems with battery storage capability, integrating batteries into existing structures and upgrading existing distribution systems, solar arrays and microgrids.
The four leading applicants selected for award negotiations and potential funding allocations are listed below:
- Dynamic Solar Solutions, Community Healthcare Facilities – Up to 116.2 million for the Sol y Seguridad para Centros de Salud Project.
- Dynamic Solar Solutions, Multi-family Housing – Up to $107.3 million for the Sol y Seguridad para Multifamiliar Project.
- Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration, Multi-family Housing – Up to $83.2 million for the 100×35 Renewable and Resilient: Building a Brighter Future for Public Housing Communities in Puerto Rico Project.
- Hispanic Federation Inc., Community Healthcare Facilities – Up to $58.3 million for the Enhancing Energy Resilience in Puerto Rico’s Community Healthcare Infrastructure Project.
Following this negotiation period, teams will enter the first of a two-phased implementation strategy. The first phase, design, will take up to two years and will conduct energy audits, load analysis, financial planning and engineering and operational design efforts.
The second phase, construction, will involve the permitting, procurement, installation, integration and construction activities and will last approximately four years after the design phase has concluded.
This initiative along with others funded by the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) are a part of a federal strategy to spur key investments for resilient and renewable energy infrastructure in Puerto Rico’s vulnerable communities. The fund, managed by the DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, partners with the Federal Energy Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to facilitate federal investments for domestic renewable energy resources.
Another PR-ERF-funded initiative, the Solar Access Program, offers affordable financing to connect low-income Puerto Ricans to reliable and alternative forms of energy.
These investments from the PR-ERF also complement the DOE’s recent $861 million loan guarantee to substantially upgrade Puerto Rico’s electrical grid. Through two integrated solar photovoltaic farms, the initiative, also known as Project Marahu, will reinforce the island’s commitment to clean, reliable energy and innovative energy-efficient technologies in the wake of natural disasters.
