The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it will allocate $450 million to increase residential rooftop solar PV and battery storage installations across the region, with a focus to reach and support Puerto Rico’s most vulnerable residents. This round of funding will provide consumer protection and education initiatives to support residents’ long-term use of solar systems as well as a Solar Ambassador Prize for community groups to help the Department identify and connect with eligible households – helping achieve Puerto Rico and President Biden’s goal of lowering energy costs with a resilient grid powered by 100% renewable energy.  

“A future powered by renewables will offer the residents of Puerto Rico more energy security and more reliability—all while leaving households with cheaper bills to pay,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “DOE is using every tool at our disposal to expand access to clean energy, especially for the communities most at risk, giving families the peace of mind knowing that their communities are resilient in the face of the climate crisis. 

According to the DOE announcement, the funding is designed to incentivize the installation of up to 30,000–40,000 solar PV and battery storage systems for very low-income single-family households that are either located in areas that have a high percentage of very low-income households and experience frequent and prolonged power outages; or with a family member with an energy-dependent disability, such as electric wheelchair users or individuals who use at-home dialysis machines.  

Potential applicants may include private industry, non-profit organizations, energy cooperatives, educational institutions, and State and local governmental entities. Funding will also support consumer protection efforts to provide residents receiving solar PV and battery storage installations with ongoing system education, training, and consumer protection support, DOE says. 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)