Why tiny solar projects play an outsized role in powering Puerto Rico

,
Adoption of rooftop solar panels has surged on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico as it contends with high energy costs and frequent outages.

On a given sunny day in Puerto Rico, more than 37,100 rooftop solar installations—mounted atop homes, gas stations, malls and hospitals—churn out 255 megawatts of electricity.

That’s only about 2.5% of the island’s overall power generation. But collectively, the rooftops might be considered Puerto Rico’s largest clean power plant, dwarfing the 101-megawatt Santa Isabel wind farm, the island’s largest renewable generator.

As the US territory of 3.2 million people scrambles to shift to 100% renewables by 2050, much of the focus has been on utility-scale initiatives. In March, regulators conditionally approved 18 renewable power plants that should produce 884 megawatts by 2024. But even with that additional capacity, the island will still depend on fossil fuels for more than 84% of its electricity.

Click here to read the full article
Source: Bloomberg

—

If you have any questions or thoughts about the topic, feel free to contact us here or leave a comment below.

/0 Comments/by
You might also like
As demand for renewable energy grows globally, several emerging markets are positioning themselves as leaders in exporting solar power.Emerging markets could become world leaders in solar exports
Students have developed a policy proposal and urging government officials in Puerto Rico and Washington DC to promote rooftop solar power.Students propose solar solution to Puerto Rico’s electricity woes
Floating solar panel systems not just provide clean power and leave no land footprint, but also conserve water by preventing evaporation.Long popular in Asia, floating solar catches on in US
The country’s most ambitious & expensive infrastructure project, with an estimated cost of more than $100B will connect LA and SFO in a 422-mile system.California’s $100 billion electric bullet train will be fully solar powered
EU negotiators reached a huge milestone to accelerate renewable deployment by inking a deal on the EU Solar Standard.EU agrees to a rooftop solar standard
In April alone, electrical generation by renewables grew by 13.5% compared to April 2023 and reached 31.0% of the U.S. totalRenewables surpass 30% of U.S. electrical generation for the first time
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *