SEIA Welcomes Puerto Rico Into Affiliate Fold As Island Continues To Rebuild From Hurricane

By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent

Lots of stories have been written in the past year about how solar energy has helped Puerto Rico come back from Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island’s electrical grid.

Whether it’s companies like sonnen or Sunnova installing solar electrical systems for island residents or solar-powered community centers becoming the hub for neighborhoods still waiting for power to come back on, solar power has taken on a central role in the slow comeback of the island to some sense of normalcy.

Often, this comeback has been slowed by inaction by their fellow citizens on the mainland and, in some cases, the plight of the island’s citizens has been completely forgotten as other tragedies and natural disasters seized the headlines. But the Solar Energy Industries Association hasn’t forgotten, and now it’s made it official – it will be working with the on-island solar energy group to make sure solar stays in the island’s energy spotlight.

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The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade association of the U.S. solar industry, has announced that the Solar & Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico (SESA-PR) is now an official SEIA affiliate.

“This partnership was a natural outgrowth following the solar industry’s response to last year’s devastating hurricanes,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA’s president and CEO. “By working together under one umbrella, we will be better able to coordinate resources and promote the vibrant growth of Puerto Rico’s solar market.”

“We formed SESA-PR to unite the solar industry’s disaster response efforts following Hurricanes Irma and Maria,” said SESA-PR’s Founder and President, PJ Wilson. “With SEIA’s national resources and our on-the-ground efforts, the Puerto Rico solar and storage markets are poised for rapid growth. SESA-PR works to ensure there’s effective public policy, jobs training and financing mechanisms in place to facilitate the ramp-up needed for rooftop, commercial, and utility scale solar installations.”

Today, according to the EIA, Puerto Rico is home to 278 megawatts (MW) of operating or soon-to-be operating solar capacity, approximately 1 percent of the island’s electric generation.

Puerto Rico lawmakers are currently considering a bill that would commit Puerto Rico to getting 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2050. The Puerto Rico Department of Housing is also requesting $400 million from the federal government to aid the growth of residential and small commercial solar systems with battery storage.