Puerto Rico's Ambitious Solar Plan Aims to Transform Energy Landscape
Puerto Rico is exploring significant changes to its energy strategy, with public entities considering diverse options. The island's high electricity rates make solar power the most cost-effective solution, leading to innovative proposals like the AES Corporation's plan for a solar-powered grid.
The AES plan envisions a rebuild of Puerto Rico's power system using seven solar-plus-storage minigrids connected by robust transmission lines. These localized energy systems, ranging from a single building to a small city, are more resilient than traditional grids and offer solutions to power outages. Under this plan, most existing oil and gas power plants would be moved into 'cold reserve', replaced by solar power to reduce fuel costs and inefficiency. The plan estimates a need for 10,000 MW of solar and 2,500 MW of 10-hour duration storage to meet Puerto Rico's energy demand.
Developed in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Energy Commission, this proposal follows the island's governor announcing plans to privatize the government-owned utility, PREPA, in January 2022.
The AES plan, if implemented, could significantly improve Puerto Rico's energy resilience and reduce costs. By dividing the grid into independent parts, the island's power system would be better equipped to withstand damage or attacks. The shift to solar power, while requiring substantial investment, is projected to be the least-cost way to generate energy on the island in the long run.
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