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Jack Martin

Mr. Phillips

English III

1 December 2017

Renewable Energy in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has suffered a devastating loss of biodiversity, people and power

through hurricane Irma and Maria. After Maria and Irma more than 70% people are

without power in Puerto Rico. How could this crisis be prevented? There is a way to fix

this conundrum with renewable energy. Development of renewable energy in Puerto

Rico may be expensive, but renewables will improve and sustain the future of Puerto

Rico being rebuilt and help prevent future storm catastrophes.

Even before the hurricanes, Puerto Rico was overdue for a revamping on their

outdated power grid. They are talking with Tesla, regarding solar and wind energy on

the island and how it would be productive due to the sun exposure and ocean wind

(Dabbs). Puerto Rico could improve from their old system of energy. They used to ship

non-renewable energy overseas. Puerto Rico with its "political momentum" wants not

just to fix the issue at hand, but update the grid (Dabbs). One-way Puerto Rico could

update the grid is using solar and wind energy. Tesla tested the wind speed for

renewable energy. After testing wind speeds, it was determined that the wind speeds

are high enough to yield results. Tesla even said, "Renewables are part of the future for

Caribbean overall" (Sehper). Puerto Rico would thrive if it used renewable energy such

as wind and solar. To improve the productivity of renewable energy use on an off-grid

energy source or a mini grid.

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One thing Puerto Rico could use are mini grids. In an article by Close Up Media

that talked about mini grids and there use it rural countries, they addressed that

countries could use mini grids which are more sustainable than non-renewables and a

green and renewable source of power. The best type of cities for the use of mini grids

are rural, sometimes tourist economies, for example Puerto Rico. The country with the

best potential for off grid energy is India using micro grids and rural energy (Close Up

Media). This system of energy could also work for Puerto Rico because India and

Puerto Rico are both rural and thrive off tourism. Puerto Rico could thrive from both off

grid and mini grid power sources and be more resilient from hurricanes in turn. Although

Puerto Rico cannot just survive on the power grids, something has to produce energy

and in this case renewables would be the best option.

Renewable energy could also preserve and protect the coast from pollution and

storm damage. In an article by the economist the Caribbean Community Climate

Change Center(CCCCC) said that the government of Puerto Rico needs to adapt to the

new form of energy and modernize. "Shift to renewable energy and avoid development

that damages coastline". The major thing that brings money to Puerto Rico is tourism

and what funds that are the sunny beaches, but non-renewables are destroying that. To

repair the damages done by the storms now and in the future, they need that money.

One-way renewables could change this is that the beach doesn't only draw in travelers,

but it draws in sun light for solar energy (Wernick). Puerto Ricans could install solar

power panels near beaches that could soak up sun all day. Another way to stop the

damage being done by storms is to benefit from the storms. A wind farm in Puerto Rico

withstood the two hurricanes. Wind energy at Puerto Rico is actually very beneficial
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because "trade winds blow at speeds of ten to thirty miles per hour (mph) almost

constantly" (Wernick). Since Puerto Rico is on the equator, the trade winds blow on

making wind energy there productive, but renewables are a double edge sword.

what are the negatives of renewable energy? renewables are expensive and

could make the economy collapse. "US electricity prices would increase by thirty

percent and lead to at least one million job losses" (Boccia). This was a prediction by

the Heritage Foundation. Another way renewable energies have a negative impact is

wind energy needs fossil fuels to turn on and off the turbine for the wind to spin it also

even when the wind farms are operating they are inconsistent and not to be trusted.

Even though renewables are abundant and green, they are expensive and would

bankrupt the any country that has a large amount of Renewables. The reason we still

use fossil fuels today is because they are cheap and easy to obtain. Renewables are

also not as clean as you may think, because Bentick found gases coming from wind

farms that increase RES pollutions (Boccia). RES is air pollution caused by the usage

of fossil fuels. Although renewables are the solution to our global climate crisis they are

also unpredictable.

Renewable energy might not be the solution to our energy crisis. According to the

New York Times Germany who has the lead in renewable energy, might start to back off

from green energy. Germany is doing this because renewables aren't reliable. In an

article by porter he said, "The government will pay billions to keep coal generators in

reserves to supply emergency power at times where the wind doesn't blow, or the sun

doesn't shine". When it comes down to it, the renewable energy we use is not
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sophisticated enough to support us if the sun does not shine there is no solar power, if

there is no wind there is no wind energy.

The question you must ask yourself is, are renewables worth it? I believe that

Puerto Rico doesn't have much of a choice. They could keep shipping fossil fuels

overseas and risk the grid being damaged again. Puerto Rico's other choice and only

choice is to go to renewable energy. If Puerto Rico used renewables it would improve

the durability of the islands grid because off grid and mini grid energy is more stable

than the typical energy grid. Renewable energy would ensure a better future for Puerto

Rico and its people.

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Works Cited

Dabbs, Brian. After Maria, Drive to Overhaul Puerto Rico Power Grid Gains Steam.

National Journal Daily, galegroup.com, 4 Oct. 2017. Web. 14 Nov. 2017.

Boccia. Forced Renewable Energy Standards are more Polluting and may even be

Unconstitutional iwf.org, 15 Apr. 2011. Web 27 Nov. 2017.

Paradise lost; Hurricane Irma. The Economist, 16 Sept. 2017. Global Issues in

Context, galegroup.com, Web. 16 Nov. 2017.

Porter, Eduardo. How Renewable Energy is Blowing Climate Change Efforts Off

Course. The New York Times, nytimes.com, 19 Jul. 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2017.

Sehper, Brian. Improving Distribution Systems in the Caribbean Hurricane Zone.

Transmission & Distribution World, galegroup.com, 29 Sept. 2017. Web. 14 Nov.

2017.

Technavio releases Report on the Off-grid Energy Storage Market in India.

Professional Services Close-up, galegroup.com, 12 Oct. 2017. Web. 15 Nov.

2017.

Wernick, Adam. Renewable energy and resilient microgrids could help rebuild Puerto

Rico Living on Earth, pri.org, 26 Oct. 2017. Web. 16 Nov. 2017.

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