Puerto Rico’s Energy Crossroads: Fighting for Resilience, Equity, and a Sustainable Future

Puerto Rico is at a critical juncture regarding its energy future, as officials, residents, and advocacy groups debate the best way forward for the island’s fragile power grid. Following the devastation of Hurricane Maria and years of ongoing outages, many on the island have pushed for distributed renewable energy solutions, particularly solar power combined with battery storage for individual homes and communities. These advocates argue that distributed energy can help build resilience, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and protect citizens from protracted blackouts.

However, the government and the private energy consortium running Puerto Rico’s grid have instead prioritized centralized natural gas projects and large-scale renewable installations. Critics of this approach say it fails to address the urgent needs for reliable power in more remote or underserved areas and risks perpetuating past problems with infrastructure and equity. The debate highlights wider questions about how to build a sustainable, reliable, and just energy future for Puerto Rico amid financial and environmental pressures.

Read the original Arizona solar power article.