Energy Department Cancels Solar Program For Low Income Residents Of Puerto Rico - CleanTechnica

The article discusses the cancellation by the U.S. Department of Energy of a solar energy program aimed at low-income residents of Puerto Rico, including a community solar project on the island of Culebra. This decision reverses prior federal commitments to fund over $300 million in solar installations that would have helped thousands of households. The cancellation is seen as a setback for efforts to rebuild and modernize Puerto Rico’s energy grid, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The island’s outdated and centralized thermal power infrastructure, combined with challenging geography, has made reliable energy supply difficult, especially for remote communities that are well-suited for distributed solar power solutions. Prior research by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis showed that Puerto Rico could feasibly achieve 75% renewable energy generation by 2035 through widespread deployment of distributed solar PV and battery storage, significantly reducing fossil fuel imports and carbon emissions while lowering electricity costs. The federal government’s cancellation of funding for these solar projects contradicts its