October 28, 2024
Empowered by Light Officially Donates 11 Solar and Energy Storage Systems to the Puerto Rico Fire Department
San Juan, Puerto Rico - The renewable energy focused non-profit, Empowered by Light, announces it has officially donated the solar and energy storage systems it funded and had installed on 11 fire stations across Puerto Rico to the Puerto Rico Fire Department. The first of the 11 solar energy systems was installed just days after Hurricane Maria devastated the island knocking out power for 90 percent of the island. The other 10 solar energy systems were installed between late 2017 and early 2019.
The 11 stations include Adjuntas, Ángeles (Utuado), Barrio Obrero (San Juan), Castañer, Centro (San Juan), Lares, Las Marias, Naguabo, Peñuelas, San Sebastian and Vieques. The solar energy systems were all installed with energy storage (batteries) to provide additional resiliency and range in size from 6 kilowatts of solar and 22 kilowatt hours of energy storage to 20.8 kilowatts of solar and 54 kilowatt hours of energy storage. Funding for the systems came from The Electric Planet Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, Sunrun, Cypress Creek Renewables as well as many individual donors. The systems were installed by local solar companies including AZ Engineering and Aireko Energy.
“We installed these solar energy systems to enable first responders to continue serving their communities when the electrical grid fails–whether that failure is due to a major storm, earthquake or some other cause,” said Empowered by Light’s Executive Director, Moira Hanes. “We always intended for these systems to be donated to the Puerto Rico Fire Department, and we’re thrilled they are now ready to take over ownership and continue benefiting from the reliable, renewable power these systems provide.”
Leading residential solar company, Sunrun, traveled with Empowered by Light to Puerto Rico just days after Hurricane Maria and helped fund and install the first three systems. "Sunrun is proud to have partnered with Empowered by Light and local leaders to bring critical generation and backup power to emergency services across Puerto Rico,” said Amy Heart, Sunrun’s senior vice president of public policy. “These partnerships proved essential for communities in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria and, years later, are still providing continued benefits of power generation and backup power for fire stations on the island.”
About Empowered by Light
Empowered by Light is a U.S. 501(c)3 nonprofit empowering vulnerable communities on the frontlines of climate change, wildlife loss and environmental devastation. EBL has completed more than 80 solar and energy storage projects in 9 countries--including 27 projects in Puerto Rico helping communities adapt to the effects of climate change and be more sustainable. EBL’s projects help school-age children study after dark, improve safety, boost economic development, support rangers and conservationists, help indigenous communities defend their territories and heritage and help build resiliency. Learn more here.
Media contact:
Cámilie Rivera-Dueno
787-421-6909
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