U.S. Department of Energy Allocates $325 Million for Solar and Battery Storage to Enhance Puerto Rico’s Healthcare and Housing Resilience

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced a significant funding opportunity aimed at bolstering energy resilience across Puerto Rico. With $325 million earmarked for the new Programa de Comunidades Resilientes, this initiative is part of DOE’s broader Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) and focuses on enhancing energy security for vulnerable populations through solar and battery storage solutions. The program is particularly targeting healthcare facilities and multi-family housing, where reliable energy is critical for both emergency services and the well-being of residents.

Empowering Community Healthcare and Housing with Renewable Energy

The Programa de Comunidades Resilientes is designed to improve community-level energy resilience, ensuring that essential services are maintained during power outages, which have been a persistent issue in Puerto Rico. Through this program, solar and battery installations will provide uninterrupted power to community healthcare centers and shared spaces in both public and privately owned subsidized housing complexes.

Maria Robinson, Director of DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, highlighted the impact of this initiative, stating, “Every municipality in Puerto Rico has a facility that could be eligible for an installation through the Programa de Comunidades Resilientes. This program will ensure emergency rooms stay powered, multifamily housing residents can refrigerate medicine and food, and essential services remain operational in low- and middle-income communities during outages.”

Key Components of the $325 Million Funding

  1. Multi-Family Housing Solar & Battery Installations
    DOE has committed between $93 million and $185 million to install solar and battery systems in public housing and privately owned subsidized multi-family properties. The goal is to power shared spaces and vital infrastructure, such as elevators and common areas that serve all residents. This portion of the program will also extend to community centers located within these housing complexes.
  2. Community Healthcare Facility Resilience
    Between $70 million and $140 million will be allocated to federally qualified healthcare centers, dialysis centers, and diagnostic and treatment facilities. This funding will provide critical healthcare infrastructure with the energy resilience needed to maintain essential services during power disruptions.

Who Can Apply?

The DOE invites individual organizations or teams based in Puerto Rico to apply for this funding opportunity. Successful applicants will need to demonstrate the capacity to deploy solar and battery storage systems across multiple sites, such as housing complexes or healthcare centers. Eligible organizations include:

  • Community-based groups
  • Solar installation companies
  • Engineering and design firms
  • Nonprofits and grassroots organizations
  • Consultants and other stakeholders

To foster collaboration, DOE has launched an online Teaming Partner List, where interested parties can connect with potential collaborators to form project teams. Applications must be submitted by October 22, 2024, at 5:00 PM EST.

For more information on the program and the application process, visit the DOE’s Grid Deployment Office website.

Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF): A Game-Changer for Puerto Rico

The DOE’s Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) was established following President Biden’s $1 billion allocation in December 2022, aiming to transform Puerto Rico’s energy landscape. In July 2024, DOE launched the Programa Acceso Solar, its first PR-ERF initiative, which provided subsidized solar and battery installations for low-income households across Puerto Rico.

Puerto Ricans can visit energy.gov/solarPR to learn more about their eligibility for these programs and connect with their local Solar Ambassador for assistance in applying.

A Brighter and More Resilient Future for Puerto Rico

With frequent hurricanes and grid failures, energy resilience is more important than ever for Puerto Rico. The Programa de Comunidades Resilientes marks a crucial step forward in building a sustainable and reliable energy future for the island, focusing on its most vulnerable communities. This investment will not only safeguard essential services but also help transition Puerto Rico towards cleaner, renewable energy solutions, reducing the island’s dependency on fossil fuels.

As Puerto Rico continues to recover and rebuild from past energy crises, this initiative offers hope for a more resilient, self-sustained future. By leveraging cutting-edge solar and battery storage technologies, Puerto Rican communities can look forward to uninterrupted power, economic growth, and a cleaner environment.