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| Caribbean Business - February 10, 2021 - |
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New York to Help Rebuild Puerto Rico Power Grid, Improve Emergency Response
“... When Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria, New York stepped up to the plate on day one to deliver critical resources to the island and help our neighbors recover in their time of need,” Cuomo said. “This renewed partnership will allow us to continue our important work to build back Puerto Rico’s power system stronger and more resilient than it was before and help ensure the island is prepared to withstand severe weather events in the future.”
Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi was quoted as saying: “My administration looks forward to building on the relationship that Governor Cuomo and the New York Power Authority have established with the Puerto Rican people. We are grateful for the assistance New York’s utility team provided in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, and we look forward to extending this productive partnership.”
Under previous mutual aid agreements, NYPA offered “a broad range of technical expertise that helped Puerto Rico define and estimate their restoration and resiliency needs,” the release reads. “That consultation helped result in the award late last year of several billions of dollars in federal disaster recovery aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with recovery and rebuilding of the island’s energy infrastructure. ..."
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| THE INDEPENDENT - January 2, 2021 - |
Invest Puerto Rico elevates the Island’s role as a global bioscience R&D and manufacturing hub attracting two major life-critical investments, $228M in new activity
CytoImmune Therapeutics and Biosimilar Sciences US will soon call Puerto Rico home and engage in cancer immunotherapy solutions and a COVID-19 vaccine, respectively
Both initiatives represent a combined investment of approximately $228 million and the creation of 400 jobs
“... This announcement is a clear indication that Puerto Rico's business ecosystem is primed to support bioscience innovation, manufacturing, and distribution on a global scale. It also shows that this sector is crucial to the Island's path to economic transformation since biotechnology start-ups can provide hundreds of jobs upon a successful FDA approval. We proudly welcome CytoImmune and Biosimilar to Puerto Rico and reiterate our commitment to helping them ensure success and a healthy ROI," said Rodrick Miller, CEO of InvestPR.
Leveraging the Puerto Rico Incentives Code (Act 60) and other assets to set up Puerto Rico operations, both companies will perform novel biologics and cell therapy research and development. Both initiatives represent a combined investment of approximately $228 million and the creation of 400 jobs.
Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro R. Pierluisi stated, "Once again Puerto Rico demonstrates that we have the talent, resources, and capabilities of a global leader in manufacturing in the Bioscience sector. Thanks to the work of Invest Puerto Rico and the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, an increasing number of companies are leveraging the Island's value proposition to boost their operations, which in turn leads to increased private investment, job creation, and a positive return on investment for all. Furthermore, Puerto Rico is ready to serve our nation by providing a proven ecosystem for reshoring to bring back manufacturing to U.S. soil and ensuring our critical supply chain."..." |
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| Civil Eats - March 11, 2020 - Jake Price |
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New governor sworn in as a wary Puerto Rico demands changes
Puerto Rico's new governor is vowing to achieve statehood for the U.S. territory and fight against poverty, corruption and COVID-19
"... Pierluisi, a Democrat who previously served as Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress for eight years, also promised to prioritize education, lift the government out of bankruptcy and alleviate a deep economic crisis as leader of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party.
“I have listened to our people and acknowledged the needs for better governance,” he said in a bilingual speech with a strong conciliatory tone. “I need everyone to battle our common enemies. ...” |
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| The Weekly Journal - Sep 22, 2020 - Maricarmen Rivera Sánchez |
FEMA Approves Nearly $13 Billion to Repair Energy System, Schools
“The Puerto Rico government announced today a federal approval of more than $12.8 billion to rebuild the electric power system and schools, as informed today, September 18, at a press conference.
The funds would be allocated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "There has to be trust. There has to be continuity. Because when there is teamwork, we have these great achievements. And this is teamwork," said Gov. Wanda Vázquez, who repeatedly expressed her gratitude to U.S. President Donald J. Trump.
Of the funds approved, over $10.5 billion will be assigned for the energy sector, while nearly $2.3 billion will be destined to fix school structures. ..."
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| Civil Eats - March 11, 2020 - Jake Price |
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Farmers in Puerto Rico are Growing a Culture of Social Justice and Climate Resilience
After Hurricane Maria, hundreds of young farmers, many women, have established bold approaches to agriculture—and their ideas are resonating beyond the island.
"June 9, 2019 was an important day for farming in Puerto Rico. It was the first time hundreds of independent farmers from across the island came together for The First Congress of Independent Puerto Rican Farmers.
Organized by Ian Pagan-Roig, a farmer and a collective recipient of the 2018 Food Sovereignty Prize for his work in agroecology, the congress took place at Hacienda La Esperanza, a former sugar plantation lorded over by a slave-owning sugar baron named José Ramon Fernández in the 1800s. ..."
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| IEEE Spectrum - Sep 16, 2019- Prachi Patel |
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How Inexpensive Must Energy Storage Be for Utilities to Switch to 100 Percent Renewables?
MIT researchers list the energy storage technologies that could enable a 100 percent renewable grid
"Low-cost storage is the key to enabling renewable electricity to compete with fossil fuel generated electricity on a cost basis,” says Yet-Ming Chiang, a materials science and engineering professor at MIT.
But exactly how low? Chiang, professor of energy studies Jessika Trancik, and others have determined that energy storage would have to cost roughly US $20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the grid to be 100 percent powered by a wind-solar mix. Their analysis is published in Joule...." |
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| White House Fact Sheet - August 24, 2020 |
The Trump Administration Is Advancing Clean, Reliable, and Affordable Hydropower
“Since the beginning of this Administration, President Trump has demonstrated his commitment to modernizing our Nation’s infrastructure. Under his leadership, the Trump Administration has been implementing a One Federal Decision policy to improve coordination between Federal agencies on environmental reviews for major infrastructure projects, including water projects. ....”
"... Hydropower is not only one of the oldest sources of energy—powering our Nation for more than 100 years—but it provides clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable energy for more than 30 million American homes. Beyond powering our homes, hydropower plants can also generate power immediately to our Nation’s energy grids, helping balance the grids and providing essential back-up power during electricity outages or disruptions. ..."
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| March 25, 2019 |
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PLOW to PLATE:
Photo Essay: Puerto Rico’s Small Farmers Rebuild, with Help from Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen
“A year and a half after Hurricane María struck the island, grants from World Central Kitchen are helping dozens of small farmers start fresh.
Just a few days after Hurricane María devastated Puerto Rico in September 2017, Chef José Andrés and his nonprofit organization, World Central Kitchen (WCK), were on the ground feeding people. ...
... After serving more than 3.7 million meals in nine months from 26 sites across Puerto Rico, WCK closed its kitchens in June of 2018. ...
... The grant program, developed by WCK in partnership with these farmers, provides grants in the range of $5,000 to $20,000 to speed their recovery from Hurricane María. ..." |
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| Caribbean Business - Eva Lloréns Vélez - March 21, 2019 |
Environmental Defense Fund to Build Microgrids in Puerto Rico
“Rebuilding Puerto Rico’s electricity system can help protect the island from future storms, improve the lives of its residents and strengthen its economy—but it must be done with respect,” said Fred Krupp, president of the EDF. “We will listen to the people of Puerto Rico and bring communities and partners together in a transformational effort to give the island the clean-energy future it deserves. By building low-carbon microgrids in rural places that were hardest hit by Hurricane Maria, we can keep the lights on when the next storms strike.”
Low-carbon microgrids can play an important role in Puerto Rico’s energy future. These systems can fuel up on solar power, store it in batteries and deliver affordable, clean and reliable energy where people need it most. They can connect to the larger grid and also disconnect during blackouts to keep electricity flowing to hospitals, traffic lights, schools and other critical services.
Krupp expressed a sense of urgency to find a lasting solution to Puerto Rico’s energy crisis. He outlined the organization’s all-inclusive approach to making microgrids sustainable and scalable by combining technology and energy reform with public grants, philanthropic funds and impact-focused private capital. ..."
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| The Weather Channel - March 21, 2019 |
Puerto Rico Power Fully Restored 18 Months After Hurricane Maria Wiped Out the Grid
- “Power has been fully restored in Puerto Rico 18 months after Hurricane Maria.
- An underwater cable to the island of Culebra was reconnected.
- Before restoration, the popular tourist site relied on generators for power."
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| IEEE Spectrum - By Maria Gallucci - March 12, 2019 |
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Rebuilding Puerto Rico’s Power Grid: The Inside Story Electricity may be fully restored this May - but the hard work of hurricane-proofing the grid remains
“The restoration of Puerto Rico’s power grid is a timely object lesson on the vulnerabilities of modern electrical networks and on the emerging technological options for minimizing those vulnerabilities. Power experts are now not just repairing Puerto Rico’s grid but doing so with an eye toward a future that portends storms of increasing intensity and frequency.
Grid operators around the world are considering the merits of microgrids, utility-scale energy storage, and distributed and renewable generation. But for Puerto Rican officials trying to rebuild their shattered electrical infrastructure, these possibilities are of much more than abstract interest. ..." |
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| Scientific American - Larry Greenemeier, Louis Dzierzak - July 10, 2018 |
| As Electricity Returns to Puerto Rico, Its People Want More Power
“A nine-month, $3.8-billion effort to end the longest blackout in U.S. history has restored power to much of Puerto Rico. Unfortunately though, this year’s Atlantic hurricane season is underway and the still-fragile electrical grid is unlikely to fare any better when the next major storm hits.
As Puerto Rico’s government and state-owned utility company consider their options for a major redesign of the grid’s power generation, transmission and distribution systems over the next decade, many residents see neighborhood microgrids powered by renewable energy sources as their best option for weathering storms in the more immediate future.
Hurricanes Irma and Maria taught Puerto Ricans the importance of energy self-sufficiency when the storms swept across the island last September ..."
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| The Weather Junkies - September 27, 2017 |
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Puerto Rican Solar Farms Heavily Damaged By Hurricane Maria
“Puerto Rico’s second largest solar farm, located in Humacao, took a direct hit from Maria’s eyewall. The farm currently accounts for nearly 40% of solar-produced electricity on the island and is currently under expansion to produce even more. Unfortunately, a majority of the newly added solar panels were ripped from their foundation and completely destroyed by Maria’s strong winds.
Another large solar farm, outside of Guayama, fared a little better but still saw some damage from Maria. This farm, dubbed the “Ilumina Project”, was built in 2012 and was the first utility scale solar farm on the island. At one point, the project was the largest solar field in the Caribbean but has since been passed by several other Puerto Rican projects. It is considered one of the main catalysts for Puerto Rico’s rapidly growing solar industry. ..." |
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