Who. What. Why. | June 4, 2018
When the power went out in Puerto Rico in April, the lights remained on in a handful of fire stations. Why did they have power? They relied on solar energy as part of an initiative led by Empowered by Light that seeks to better prepare the island for emergencies by making critical infrastructure more resilient — particularly in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
Puerto Rico Fire Stations Get Solar Power Ahead Of Hurricane Season
Empowered by Light Helps Puerto Rico Fire Stations Go Solar
Firefighters bet on solar energy
NEARSIGHTED LEGISLATION PROHIBITS GRID UPGRADE IN PUERTO RICO
Who. What. Why. | April 21, 2018
Puerto Rico suffered another island-wide power outage this week — seven months after it was hit by Hurricane Maria. This new setback highlights a trap the island finds itself in: forced to repair an antiquated power grid dependent upon imported fossil fuels, with no real hope of adopting new technologies that Americans on the mainland take for granted.
Puerto Rico went dark 6 months ago. Could a solar smart grid prevent the next energy disaster?
PBS Newshour | March 20, 2018
Six months after Hurricane Maria, and whole towns in Puerto Rico still remain without power. But... Naguabo’s firehouse sat energized, thanks in part to a 6,600-kilowatt solar system and a humanitarian effort led by a San Francisco-based nonprofit called Empowered by Light.
Bay Area People: Restoring Power in Puerto Rico
Fox 2 News, KTVU | January 2018
The lights have come on for some fire stations in Puerto Rico thanks to an effort by Bay Area non-profit, Empowered By Light and Sunrun.
NowThis: Installing life-saving solar panels in Puerto Rico
Solar company teams up with non-profits to help restore power to Puerto Rico
U. S. Groups Provide Power to Fire Stations
Adriana De Jesús Salamán | Noticel | October 18, 2017
While the local government is promising to restore the electricity service almost in full by December—helped along by several loans—, three US organizations have provided working solar micro-networks free of charge and devoid of any political intervention.
What's in it for them? The satisfaction of having helped bring electricity to areas that have been in the dark for weeks—as well as being the light at times like these, which is greatly appreciated.