Puerto Rico - Energy Resilience Fund

Background
In December 2022, Congress appropriated $1 billion in the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act for activities to improve the resilience of the Puerto Rican electric grid. This includes renewable energy and storage solutions for vulnerable households and communities. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Grid Deployment Office (GDO) established the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF) to administer the $1 billion through a program focused on both residential and community-based energy resilience investments. This encompasses solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage deployments, as well as community partnerships and other activities to grow Puerto Rico’s clean energy economy.

Grant Details
The first Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under the PR-ERF has three Strategic Goals: Enhance energy resilience for vulnerable households through the rapid installation of rooftop solar PV and battery storage systems; Reduce energy burden for program beneficiaries; Support the growth of the clean energy workforce in Puerto Rico, as well as support education and protection for beneficiaries. The FOA has three Topic Areas: Topic Area 1: Third-Party Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment; Topic Area 2: Community-Sponsored Residential Rooftop Solar PV and Battery Storage Deployment; Topic Area 3: Beneficiary Education, Training, and Consumer Protection.

Eligibility Requirements
Qualified solar companies, nonprofits, and electric cooperatives will be eligible for award to deploy rooftop solar PV and battery storage systems for beneficiaries. Beneficiaries include very low-income single-family households where an individual with an energy dependent disability resides or very low-income single-family households located in a Last Mile Community.

Period of Performance
The Planning Phase (Phase 1) is estimated to take 5 months. Initial Deployment Phase (Phase 2) will occur after 100 installs, followed by Full Deployment Phase (Phase 3). Deployments would occur over a maximum 5-year timeframe.

Grant Value
$1 billion was appropriated by Congress in December 2022. DOE anticipates awarding a total of between $380M and $400M under Topic Area 1, and between $20M and $40M under Topic Area 2.

Place of Performance
The grant is focused on improving the resilience of the Puerto Rican electric grid, with specific focus on vulnerable households and communities in Puerto Rico.