"In an email obtained by The Associated Press, the U.S. Energy Department said that a push under Puerto Rico's former governor for a 100% renewable future threatened the reliability of its energy system. "The Puerto Rico grid cannot afford to run on more distributed solar power," the message states. "The rapid, widespread deployment of rooftop solar has created fluctuations in Puerto Rico's grid, leading to unacceptable instability and fragility.""
"Javier Rúa Jovet, public policy director for Puerto Rico's Solar and Energy Storage Association, disputed that statement in a phone interview Thursday. He said that some 200,000 families across Puerto Rico rely on solar power that generates close to 1.4 gigawatts of energy a day for the rest of the island. "That's helping avoid blackouts," he said, adding that the inverters of those systems also help regulate fluctuations across the grid."
"Earlier this month, the Energy Department canceled three programs, including one worth $400 million, that would have seen solar and battery storage systems installed in low-income homes and those with medical needs. In its email, the department said that on Jan. 9, it would reallocate up to $350 million from private distributed solar systems to support fixes to improve the generation of power in Puerto Rico. It wasn't immediately clear if that funding has been allocated."
The U.S. Energy Department canceled millions in solar projects in Puerto Rico that were intended to install distributed solar and storage for low-income and medically vulnerable households. The department cited risks to grid reliability from rapid rooftop solar deployment and said widespread distributed solar created fluctuations causing instability. Local solar advocates said about 200,000 families already rely on solar generating close to 1.4 gigawatts daily and that system inverters help regulate grid fluctuations and avoid blackouts. The department canceled three programs, including a $400 million initiative, and said it would reallocate up to $350 million toward power-generation and grid fixes.
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