Solar and storage gets boost in Puerto Rico

Yesterday the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $453.5 million from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund aimed at increasing residential rooftop solar PV and battery storage installations across the island.

The funds are designed to incentivize the installation of up to 30,000–40,000 solar PV and battery storage systems for very low-income single-family households that are either located in areas that have a high percentage of very low-income households and experience frequent and prolonged power outages; or have a family member with an energy-dependent disability, such as electric wheelchair users or individuals who use at-home dialysis machines.

“Microgrids where local solar panels are backed up with local batteries can protect vulnerable residents from losing power when a storm downs wires miles away,” said Johanna Neumann, Senior Director of the Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy. ” Microgrids backed up by batteries can even provide backup power to keep the lights on in the midst of a disaster. Now that’s solar strong.”