The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it has chosen solar firms and nonprofits to install rooftop solar and battery storage systems in Puerto Rico through the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). Up to $440 million in initial PR-ERF funding will support installing solar panels to cut energy expenses for 30,000-40,000 single-family households in Puerto Rico, according to a press release by DOE.
President Biden signed the Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act into law, allocating $1 billion for the PR-ERF to enhance energy resilience for the most vulnerable households in Puerto Rico. The DOE selected companies including Generac Power Systems, Sunnova Energy Corporation, and Sunrun, Inc., for award negotiations. These companies may receive a combined total of $400 million to deploy residential solar and battery systems to vulnerable communities.
“With this announcement, we take a critical step forward in our efforts to ensure that all Puerto Rico residents have reliable electricity, especially the most vulnerable families and communities for whom a lack of power can be life or death,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Plain and simple, this investment will save lives, all while providing local, good-paying jobs and advancing Puerto Rico’s clean energy transition.”
Nonprofits and cooperatives in Puerto Rico such as Barrio Eléctrico, Comunidad Solar Toro Negro, Environmental Defense Fund, Let's Share the Sun Foundation, and Solar United Neighbors, Inc., will also enter award negotiations with a possibility of receiving a combined total of $40 million to facilitate residential solar installations. The DOE is expected to reveal the recipients of the PR-ERF's $3.85 million Solar Ambassador Prize and the remaining $10 million through the PR-ERF Funding Opportunity Announcement before the close of 2023.
