PR100 Study Puts Puerto Rico on the Path Toward a Data-driven Energy Transition

SPANISH

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released the results of the Puerto Rico Electric Grid Resilience Study and Transitions to 100% Renewable Energy (PR100) study. The study was led by the Office of Electric System Development at the DOE and funded by FEMA. The study is a tool that aims to examine the public energy policy of Puerto Rico (Law 17 of 2019), establish a guide for the strengthening and restoration of the electrical grid in Puerto Rico, and determine the possibility of generating 100% of Puerto Rico’s energy from renewable sources by 2050.

“The study is a significant step in Puerto Rico’s path to a future with modern electrical infrastructure that is resilient to climate change in an informed and inclusive manner,” said Braulio A. Quintero, Director, Energy Transition, Environmental Defense Fund. “Environmental Defense Fund encourages the study’s results be carefully evaluated and used correctly for the benefit of the island’s communities, so that the projects that lead to the energy transition of Puerto Rico avoid increasing families’ cost of living and enhance Puerto Ricans’ quality of life.”

The PR100 study was overseen by an advisory group of more than 100 professionals from the Puerto Rican energy sector, which provided critical feedback in the production of the final report. It was a non-partisan effort to study critical elements of Puerto Rico's electrical system, which reflects transparency and credibility. It lays the foundation for Puerto Rico's energy transition based on verifiable statistical data and modeling that allows interested parties in the public and private sectors to make well-informed decisions.

“The PR 100 study provides an unprecedented road map for how Puerto Rico can achieve a just and equitable transition to clean energy ahead of schedule,” Daniel Whittle,  Associate Vice President, Caribbean, Environmental Defense Fund. “But it won’t implement itself. It is up to all of us – policy makers, regulators, community leaders, private companies and the general public – to invest the time and effort to get the job done.”

EDF seeks to identify effective and equitable energy solutions that can bring clean, community-centered electricity to Puerto Rico and can meet the daily needs of its residents, while making the island more resilient to climate change. Our work centers on advancing a community-driven solar and storage project on the island municipality of Culebra and supporting a range of partners who are driving systemic change to the energy system across Puerto Rico. We approach this work holistically, leveraging our technical expertise, sustainable financing tools and energy reform experience to help develop long-term solutions to the territory’s energy crisis.

For more information, visit www.edf.org/PuertoRico.