Photo: Part of Casa Pueblo’s Bosque Solar installation in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico (Solar United Neighbors). Retrieved from canarymedia.com
The U.S. Department of Energy has committed $1 billion to develop solar energy in Puerto Rico, to help the island meet its goal of 100% renewables and to add resilience to a system plagued by hurricane damage, poor maintenance and debilitating blackouts. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has visited the island multiple times, and the department has promised additional funding for renewables once an in-depth study is completed.
Community leaders who have long pushed for solar are hopeful. But they are adamant that the funding must prioritize community-driven, decentralized rooftop solar. They don’t want to see more solar farms, which they say can damage land and continue reliance on shipping power across the island, and they are skeptical of the role of Luma, the company that runs Puerto Rico’s grid since it was privatized in June 2021.
On March 18, Casa Pueblo, a prominent community organization in the mountain town of Adjuntas, inaugurated Adjuntas Pueblo Solar, an independent solar project that will supply 20 businesses with solar energy. The inauguration coincided with Casa Pueblo’s Marcha del Sol: Puerto Rico Triunfa festival, where residents and national and international groups gathered for cultural activities and Puerto Rican food.
Clean-energy advocates see Casa Pueblo’s work, including Adjuntas Pueblo Solar, as an islandwide model, allowing communities energy independence and the ability to decide what solar projects work best in their own areas, including with the new funding.