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.
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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.
[Jack Aylmer]
LAST WEEK THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED OVER 860 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR TWO NEW SOLAR ENERGY FARMS IN PUERTO RICO.
BUT RESIDENTS OF THE U.S. TERRITORY SAY EXISTING SOLAR INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE ISLAND IS ALREADY CAUSING A HOST OF PROBLEMS.
LEGAL EXPERTS CLAIM THE DEVELOPER’S PLACEMENT OF SOLAR INFRASTRUCTURE IN PUERTO RICO IGNORED THE REGION’S CONSERVATION LAWS.
THIS HAPPENED WITH THE HELP OF PUERTO RICO’S SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE-
WHO HAS A REPORTED DIRECT FINANCIAL STAKE IN THE PROJECT-
AS HE LEASED OUT LAND HIS AGENCY WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT.
LOCALS SAY AS A RESULT THEIR PROPERTIES HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN DAMAGING FLOODS-
THAT DESTROYED HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
THE SOLAR FARMS APPEARED TO REDIRECT THE FLOW OF WATER TOWARD COMMUNITIES THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN UNSACTHED BY THESE NATURAL DISASTERS.
ONE RESIDENT TOLD THE HUFFINGTON POST QUOTE “WE’RE BEING FLOODED, THEY’RE FLOODING US WITH PANELS.”
IN ADDITION TO THE FLOODS-
SOME LOCALS ALSO CLAIM THEIR ENERGY BILLS HAVE GONE UP SINCE THE FIRST WAVE OF PANELS WERE INSTALLED.
EXACERBATING FINANCIAL CONCERNS IN A REGION WHERE MEDIAN INCOME PER YEAR IS LESS THAN A FOURTH OF THE OVERALL U.S. AVERAGE.
HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO MEET ITS GOAL OF GENERATING ALL ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES BY 20-50, PUERTO RICO IS GOING TO NEED SOLAR POWER.
THE TERRITORY’S BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DEBT PUTS HIGH-COST PROJECTS LIKE OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES OUT OF REACH-
LEAVING CHEAPER SOLAR PANELS AS THE ONLY AVENUE TO REALIZE THOSE AMBITIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY SAYS ACHIEVING THEM WILL REQUIRE THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF UTILITY SCALE SOLAR FARMS-
WHILE ALSO COVERING VIRTUALLY EVERY ROOFTOP ON THE ISLAND WITH PANELS.
TO GET MORE STORIES ABOUT CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME – JACK AYLMER.
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