The US DOE’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) has announced Project Maharu, which will support utility-scale solar-plus-storage projects in Puerto Rico and two standalone BESS projects. The projects are expected to produce 460,000MWh of power annually and support Puerto Rico’s grid reliability and energy security during extreme weather events. The LPO also highlighted the role BESS can play in maintaining power supply during severe weather events, following two hurricanes in 2017 and multiple earthquakes in the past. The project is part of the Biden administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which requires that 40% of federal financing, including LPO investments, end up with disadvantaged communities. Funding will also be provided through the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR), which was created as part of The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Solar Dominates US Energy Capacity Growth
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has published data showing that solar accounted for over 75% of US electrical generating
