Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón
By THE STAR STAFF
Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón confirmed on Wednesday the inclusion of Vieques and Culebra in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project.
“Vieques and Culebra have faced greater challenges than the other municipalities in Puerto Rico,” González Colón said in a written statement. “We have the greatest need to evaluate how best to incorporate renewable energy sources at the community level into the grid. I count on this project to be carried out diligently to produce results that guide us toward concrete actions.”
The resident commissioner noted that the project aims to build local energy systems that are sustainable, resilient and reliable in outlying communities on nine islands, working in conjunction with regional organizations and national laboratories.
The project is funded by the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and has been identified to help remote communities incorporate a clean energy transition that makes the most sense for them. The nine communities will join 23 other ongoing projects.
The offshore island municipalities of Vieques and Culebra will study the feasibility of achieving energy independence and resilience by using rooftop and community solar energy to provide the islands with renewable energy. They will work with project partners to conduct modeling and analysis to understand the full potential of decentralized solar when combined with utility-scale solutions, González Colón said.
“Ownership and collaboration within communities is at the heart of the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project,” said Alejandro Moreno, acting assistant secretary of the Department of Energy. “For hard-to-reach communities that have historically felt out of sight and out of mind. The Department of Energy hears and sees you, and is here to work with you on your vision for a clean energy future.”
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