Governor touts progress toward green energy goals

Gov. Pedro Pierluisi

By The Star Staff

During the eighth annual Summit of the Puerto Rico Solar and Storage Association (SESA) on Monday, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia acknowledged the leadership and advocacy of the organization in promoting renewable energy goals on the island.

The SESA summit brought together leaders and experts in solar energy and storage, who discussed strategies and solutions to accelerate Puerto Rico’s energy transition.

“Electrical service is essential for our people and our business sector, and its stability is vital for the economic development of Puerto Rico,” the governor said in a written statement.

“Over the past four years, transforming our electrical system and promoting the generation and distribution of cleaner, more efficient and accessible energy has been one of the most important priorities of my administration,” he added.

Pierluisi underscored the significant progress made since 2021, including the increase in the number of solar systems connected to the electrical grid, which went from just over 21,000 to more than 130,000 today. Those figures reflect the numerous government initiatives supported by nearly $2 billion in federal funds, he noted.

Among the programs mentioned was the Energy Support Program, which, with an investment of $50 million from American Rescue Plan Act and Community Development Block Grant funds, has benefited more than 1,000 small businesses throughout the island. Likewise, the Community Resilience Programs have allowed the installation of solar and storage systems in more than 13,000 single-family homes.

More than 4,600 homes were rebuilt under the R3 program, with an investment of almost $400 million. In addition, more than 6,575 low-income homes have benefited through the New Energy Program, with an investment of $350 million to cover costs of up to $30,000 per system. Nearly 2,000 homes have also been benefited by the Solar Incentive Program, which offers up to $15,000 per system and has an investment of $100 million.

The governor noted the Agro-Energy Stability Program, which provides support of up to $250,000 for farmers who wish to acquire solar and energy storage systems. He added that the U.S. Department of Energy has granted an additional $1 billion to subsidize more than 40,000 solar and storage systems on the island.

Pierluisi went on to highlight the progress in industrial-scale energy projects, including contracting some 1,000 megawatts of renewable generation and installing nearly 1,000 megawatts in energy storage systems. He also highlighted the investment of $1.4 billion in the ER2 program to develop high-impact microgrids that supply electricity to hospitals, communities and industries.

The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to rebuilding and modernizing Puerto Rico’s transmission and distribution network, in which more than $2.6 billion has been invested to complete 264 projects in different design and construction phases.

“We have faced challenges in this process, but we have made significant progress,” he said.

Pierluisi also emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government and the private sector to generate 100 percent of Puerto Rico’s energy from renewable sources, as established in the government’s energy public policy.

“I feel very optimistic about the future of clean energy in Puerto Rico and about our ability to transform our energy system for the benefit of our people and our planet,” he said.