Town of Genesee-based
Generac is one of three solar companies and five nonprofits that will help the U.S. Department of Energy complete a $440 million energy project in Puerto Rico.
All eight entities have now entered award negotiations to receive part of the $440 million, made available through the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF).
The first round of PR-ERF funding, up to $440 million, will help lower energy bills for 30,000 to 40,000 single-family households in Puerto Rico, improve household energy resilience, and keep the lights on during extreme weather events. This funding will also help Puerto Rico achieve its goal of 100% renewable energy by 2050.
The project will deploy rooftop solar PV and battery storage systems to the homes of eligible residents to both help increase their energy resilience and decrease their energy burden. The DOE anticipates the first installations will begin in the spring of 2024.
The two other solar companies negotiating for funding include Houston-based
Sunnova Energy Corp. and San Francisco-based
Sunrun, Inc.
"Generac has been a trusted provider of resiliency backup power since 1959 and we are honored to be a part of this important Department of Energy program to provide Puerto Rico's most vulnerable communities with access to our clean energy sources," said
Aaron Jagdfeld, president and chief executive officer of Generac. "As the island continues to grapple with extreme weather events and aging energy infrastructure, Generac's solar and battery storage solutions will help keep the power on, while also helping to support job growth within the clean energy sector."
Before the end of 2023, the DOE will also announce selectees for the PR-ERF's $3.85 million Solar Ambassador Prize, as well as the remaining $10 million under the PR-ERF Funding Opportunity Announcement, which will support outreach, education, training, and consumer protection for qualified households.
Last month, Generac also secured a $50 million grant from the DOE for a project aimed at improving the power grid’s ability to handle the electrification of building thermal systems.
The grant funding will be used to offer around 2,000 lower income residents in Massachusetts a combination of home battery systems, WiFi thermostats paired with heat pubs, and hot water heater load control switches.
A recent BizTimes Milwaukee cover story examined the growing pains Generac has been experiencing at it increasingly moves into the clean energy space.
