Puerto Rico Seems to be Going Green Regardless!

According to VOX, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló has placed a definitive bet on wind, water, and sunshine. Last week, he signed a bill, the Public Energy Policy Law of Puerto Rico. All to power the island solely by renewable energy by 2050. Along the way, the island must draw 40 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2025. Finally and give up coal by 2028.

In his tweet.

This puts Puerto Rico in league with more than 90 cities, counties, and states. For example Hawaii and New Mexico. Because they have set 100 percent clean energy targets. It also gives the territory a head start in bigger, more aggressive climate proposals. As well as the Green New Deal.

“I’m pretty sure that this will be, by leaps and bounds, the quickest transition to renewables that’s ever happened anywhere on the planet,” said P.J. Wilson, president of the Solar and Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico. “To go from [2] percent today to 40 percent by five years from now will be the biggest challenge the renewable energy industry [in Puerto Rico] has ever faced, on top of a very challenging political situation and a challenging financial situation.”

Indeed, Puerto Rico will be pursuing an aggressive renewable energy target from a fragile position. It currently gets the bulk of its electricity from fossil fuels and its power grid has suffered from years of poor maintenance and neglect. As an island, it’s isolated from a larger power grid, so there are few backup options if energy infrastructure fails.