Puerto Rico’s solar energy push comes with flooding and higher electric bills

Last week, the Biden administration unveiled an investment of $861 million for the development of two new solar energy farms in Puerto Rico. However, this comes as residents of U.S. territory have been expressing concerns regarding the existing solar infrastructure on the island.

Legal experts have highlighted potential violations of the region’s conservation laws linked to the placement of solar facilities. This was reportedly facilitated by Puerto Rico’s Secretary of Agriculture Ramón González Beiró, who has a direct financial interest in the project and leased land that his agency was originally mandated to protect.

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Local residents allege that these developments have contributed to an increase in damaging floods, which have severely impacted homes and businesses.

It appears that the new solar farms have altered water flow patterns, leading to flooding in communities that previously experienced little to no damage from these types of natural disasters.

In addition to the flooding issues, some residents report that their energy bills have risen since the installation of the initial wave of solar panels. This has exacerbated financial concerns in a region where the median annual income is less than a fourth of the overall U.S. average.

Despite these challenges, Puerto Rico will likely need many more solar installations if the island hopes to hit its goal of having all electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2050.

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Puerto Rico’s billions of dollars in debt has limited options for high-cost projects, such as offshore wind turbines, making much cheaper solar panels the more feasible avenue for achieving their clean power ambitions. A study by the Department of Energy indicated that to meet these targets, thousands of acres would be required for utility-scale solar farms, in addition to virtually every rooftop on the island being fitted with solar panel installations.