Arecibo, Puerto Rico\u2014June 9, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n Today, the Puerto Rico Community Energy Resilience Initiative (CERI) celebrates the first three microgrid solar and storage systems, a part of a\u00a0new model for local energy resilience<\/a>. The grant and loan blended finance model, which is the first of its kind in the Caribbean, unlocks access to clean, affordable energy in low- to middle-income communities, improving energy resilience at critical facilities, and enabling them to stay operational and service their town during times of crisis. The CERI team plans to scale to approximately 350 critical facilities in Puerto Rico with the goal of unlocking the power of blended finance to drive equitable energy resilience in other countries, states, and cities globally.<\/p>\n Energy resilience is critical in the region as hurricanes continue to intensify and increase in frequency, bringing with them immense devastation including power blackouts. Local energy systems allow for the continuity of essential services, including healthcare, education, food, and transportation, during main grid outages.<\/p>\n CERI\u2019s approach has been piloted with three critical facilities in Arecibo, Patillas, and Utuado. In collaboration with the CERI team, each facility was able to design and will install a community-owned solar-plus-storage microgrid system tailored to meet their energy needs.<\/p>\n \u201cSince Hurricane Mar\u00eda in 2017, service interruptions are common, jeopardize community access to essential services such as healthcare, and affect economic development. The CERI model allows for Puerto Rican communities to have faith in their continuous access to energy and take advantage of cost savings,<\/em>\u201d said David Haddock, VP of administration and programs of\u00a0Fundaci\u00f3n Comunitaria de Puerto Rico (FCPR)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The three pilot facilities were selected after a merit-based process that focused on their role in the community and services provided during outages.<\/p>\n Instituto Pre Vocational E Industrial (IPVI) serves nearly 2,000 students and community members a year, offering educational and social services to the elderly, homeless, and women and children. IPVI served as a key recovery point in Arecibo after Hurricane Mar\u00eda, ensuring much needed aid was distributed to the community. \u201cHaving continuous energy will mean our equipment can keep running,<\/em>\u00a0preserve food, and we can keep crucial services\u00a0<\/em>available\u00a0for the communities we serve, many of whom depend on us for their livelihoods<\/em>,\u201d said\u00a0Nilsa L\u00f3pez, founder and CEO of IPVI.<\/strong><\/p>\n Valent\u00edn Service Station, located in Mameyes, Utuado, the only gas station and mini supermarket in the area, provides services to five neighboring communities that are far from urban centers. \u201cOurs is the only business of its kind in this area. This is where local people get fuel to get to work, and food for their families. Our presence and ability to function, especially during times of crisis, is incredibly important<\/em>.\u201d said\u00a0Francisco Valent\u00edn, owner of Valent\u00edn Service Station<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Jomari Pharmacy is a community drug store located in Patillas, providing computer and printing services in addition to selling, delivering, and consulting on medication. \u201cA specific solar panel system was designed for Farmacia Jomari to enable us to function if another natural disaster happens. In any emergency, Farmacia Jomari will be able to continue to serve the community<\/em>,\u201d said\u00a0Marissa Carrasquillo, owner of Jomari Pharmacy.<\/strong><\/p>\n This model simultaneously addresses another key issue affecting Puerto Rico and the region: dramatic energy price increases. CERI uses an innovative, scalable blended finance model accessible to low- and middle-income businesses and nonprofits, in combination with technical assistance and community engagement. The IPVI project will be financed through a combination of local grants and a large donation from clean energy leader Enel North America.\u00a0\u201cWith IPVI, this is not only an opportunity to strengthen the Arecibo community through energy resilience but also to bring further economic and technical skills development,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>says\u00a0Jesse Puckett, Enel director of sustainability projects and community affairs.<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cAs part of IPVI\u2019s workforce development efforts, Enel is excited to support renewable energy vocational training for the local community.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The participating financial institutions for the three pilot critical facilities are Banco Popular and CooPACA.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we reimagine Puerto Rico\u2019s fragile energy system, it is crucial to ensure<\/em>\u00a0that\u00a0communities<\/em>\u00a0particularly\u00a0vulnerable to power outages have reliable, affordable, and clean energy<\/em>,\u201d\u00a0said Michael Liebman, manager with RMI\u2019s Islands Energy Program<\/strong>. \u201cThis blended finance model in Puerto Rico was created and executed not only to address critical barriers to scaling resilient<\/em>,\u00a0carbon-free energy access, but also to ensure that facilities that currently pay over double the US average price of electricity see significant savings from day one<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWorking together with Puerto Rican communities to identify and break down existing financial and knowledge barriers, the CERI model is paving the way to equitably scale the benefits of local energy resilience in Puerto Rico and in vulnerable communities worldwide,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>said\u00a0Clare Boland Ross, chief strategy and program impact officer for the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet<\/strong>. \u201cAs climate change makes severe weather events more common, improving inclusive access to reliable, renewable energy in under-served communities is even more essential for energy security and community resilience.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The CERI team plans to expand to a demonstration portfolio of 20\u201340 projects, done in coordination with local financial institutions,<\/u>\u00a0to further develop this model and gain the efficiency needed to equitably scale the benefits of energy resilience more broadly. CERI is seeking partners to join the effort and provide support.<\/p>\n For those interested in supporting or collaborating with CERI, please email\u00a0CERI@rmi.org.<\/a><\/p>\n Photos of the solar and storage energy installations at IPVI available\u00a0here<\/a>. (photo credit: RMI)<\/p>\n Libni Sanjurjo<\/strong>, FCPR Krista Barnaby<\/strong>, Enel Tierney Sheehan<\/strong>, RMI Eric Gay,\u00a0<\/strong>Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, Fundaci\u00f3n Comunitaria de Puerto Rico is a philanthropic organization with a 35-year history of collaboration with donors and communities. It is the first of its kind in the Caribbean and Latin America and the only one of its kind in Puerto Rico. It holds the 1101.1 status from the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code, and the 501 (c) (3) certifications from the United States Internal Revenue Code<\/p>\n Enel North America<\/strong>,\u00a0part of the\u00a0Enel Group<\/a>, is a clean energy leader in\u00a0North America\u00a0and is working to electrify the economy by and build a net-zero carbon future by decarbonizing energy supply, electrifying transportation, creating resilient grids, and promoting a just, equitable transition.\u00a0Enel North America\u2019s\u00a0portfolio includes over 8 GW of renewable capacity, 110,000 EV charging stations, 4.7 GW of demand response capacity and 11 utility-scale battery energy storage systems totaling 1,139 MWh of capacity under construction or in operation.\u00a0The company proudly serves over 4,500 customers, which include businesses, utilities and cities. Enel\u00a0operates in the US and\u00a0Canada\u00a0through five businesses:\u00a0Enel Green Power, Enel X, Enel Energy and Commodity Management, Enel X Way and Gridspertise.<\/p>\n Learn more about\u00a0Enel North America\u00a0by visiting\u00a0www.enelnorthamerica.com<\/a>.<\/u><\/p>\n www.enel.com<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0www.enelx.com<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0www.enelgreenpower.com<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0www.evcharging.enelx.com<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0|\u00a0www.gridspertise.com<\/a><\/p>\n RMI\u00a0<\/strong>is an independent nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5\u00b0C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. We work in the world\u2019s most critical geographies and engage businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50 percent by 2030. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing.<\/p>\nMedia Inquiries please contact:<\/h6>\n
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\nT: +1 858 735 1169
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\nE:\u00a0egay@rockfound.org<\/a><\/p>\nAbout FCPR<\/h6>\n
About Enel<\/h6>\n
About RMI<\/h6>\n
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