Renewable energy is key to Puerto Rico’s just energy future
This review article was first published on The Hill.can use Here.
The Biden administration faces a choice that can advance its two core goals-to promote Environmental justice And fight climate change.
Puerto Rico’s already troubled energy system is be destroyed Hurricane Maria in 2017 and a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in 2020.Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assigned US$9.6 billion Used for power system work in Puerto Rico. FEMA must now decide whether to use the money for more fossil fuel power generation, which will exacerbate unhealthy air pollution levels, or whether to use most of the money for rooftop solar, which is healthier for residents and creates more local jobs. Opportunities and make power sources more resistant to fragile grid outages.
Puerto Rico’s power system is highly centralized, based on 97% Fossil fuel power generation.Fossil fuel power plants emit a variety of emissions Pollutants Have an adverse effect on the health of nearby communities.This AES Guayama and coal-fired power plants Aguirre Power Complex Salinas, in southeastern Puerto Rico, is the archipelago’s two main sources of air pollution and toxic emissions, disproportionately affecting some of the poorest communities.These two plants also extract large amounts of fresh water from fresh water South Coast Aquifer, The main water supply for thousands of people and leading to water shortages, leading to Water distribution. This South coast with Eco Power Company The factory in southwestern Puerto Rico burns imported “natural” methane gas and uses the fragile transmission and distribution system to transmit energy over long distances.This San Juan and Paloseco The power plant also produces emissions from the burning of dirty oil and methane gas, which adversely affects nearby communities.
Many existing energy infrastructures are in Flood-prone areas Or face the risks of sea level rise, storm surges and tsunamis.
Puerto Rico Electricity Authority (PREPA) Submitted A plan FEMA is used to use these funds, which will make the use of fossil fuels permanent. Despite the fact that 2018 Bipartisan budget bill Allow funds to be used for alternative technologies, such as on-site solar energy, and storage that can maintain lighting at night.This Puerto Rico Energy Public Policy Act Promoting distributed energy (such as rooftop solar and storage) has become a key part of Puerto Rico’s energy policy.
Nevertheless, PREPA’s 10-year plan and its funding requirements to FEMA require at least $853 million to be spent on the construction of two new natural gas power plants. The plan also sets aside more than $8 billion for work on the transmission system that will make the existing long-distance, south-to-north energy transmission and the environmental injustice already experienced by the fenced community near the heavily polluted power plant in southern Puerto Rico permanent.化. . Rebuilding and strengthening the existing transmission and distribution system to maintain dependence on fossil fuels and centralized power generation will condemn these communities-consisting of the majority of the poor African American — Continue to suffer disproportionate and adverse health effects caused by air, water and land pollution.
The PREPA plan currently being evaluated by FEMA fails to fully consider rooftop/onsite solar and storage alternatives that may have a positive and lasting multiplier effect on environmental justice communities, local economies, and employment rates.In addition, large-scale rooftop/onsite solar and storage will not rely on overhead wire systems, which collapsed during Hurricane Maria power failure As life-saving medical equipment was shut down, this is related to the deaths of hundreds of people.
Puerto Rico is a very sunny place.Civil society groups, including communities, the environment, labor, professional organizations, and academia, co-founded and supported We want sunshineOr the “We Want Sunshine” proposal, which promotes the transformation of PREPA to achieve widespread implementation of on-site/rooftop solar and storage, energy efficiency, demand response, and energy literacy programs for electric utilities.
The FEMA Fund provides a golden opportunity for the transformation of the energy system. The allocation of federal funds for localized solar energy and storage through utilities can establish transparent procedures for the large-scale deployment of rooftop solar energy and storage, for four purposes:
