U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm spoke at the Solar and Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico Summit Nov. 2.
She touched on subjects such as what the U.S. Department of Energy is doing to improve the energy situation in Puerto Rico and called on partners to help, according to a release of her remarks.
"For far too long, Puerto Ricans have suffered because of needless obstacles to needed investments and interminable delays to essential improvements," Granholm said, according to the release. "For far too long, you have seen plans without action to follow, heard promises that ultimately ring hollow."
She commented on the PR100 plan, designed to help Puerto Rico reach 100% renewable energy by 2050, the release reported.
"When only some 3% of Puerto Ricans have a renewable battery system, when thousands of people were still without power for weeks after Fiona made landfall, helping two communities deploy microgrids isn't a success story unless we can make the model scale," Granholm said in her remarks. "And with PR100, we are going to make that happen."
Granholm also promised the federal government will do something about all the red tape that stands between Puerto Rico and energy investments, according to the release.
"We’re going to work with our federal partners to overcome the substantial process issues that have held up the flow of investments," she said in the release. "We're going to work with our partners in the government of Puerto Rico and the private sector to do the same. And we're going to make sure the people of Puerto Rico feel heard through these efforts."
Granholm cautioned reaching Puerto Rico's better energy future "can't just be quickly getting resources out the door," the release reported.
"We have to direct those resources to the right places, and into the right projects, so we can make the biggest impacts," Granholm said in her remarks. "And by that, I mean we have to lift up Puerto Rico’s most vulnerable residents, making sure the investments pouring in to low- and middle-income communities first and foremost, and then work their way up."
Granholm also asked summit attendees for three things, according to the release.
"First, to quadruple down on your investments here in Puerto Rico - because we cannot solve these problems through government alone," she said in her remarks. "Every project that you kick off gets Puerto Rico that much closer to that future of 100% renewable power, and that much better prepared for the next storm. Second, to come talk to us about big-thinking proposals that could take off with federal funding. And third, advocate for commitment to the pathways in PR100."
