Coauthors of Energy Public Policy Act unveil ‘Glosario Energético’
The glossary is free and can be downloaded from Justicia Energética para-Puerto Rico’s website. It will also be available at public events later this year.
Former Sens. Eduardo Bhatia Gautier and Larry Seilhamer Rodríguez, coauthors of the Energy Public Policy Act (Act 17 of 2019), have introduced the “Glosario Energético” (“Energy Glossary”) as an educational resource to promote participation in the transformation of Puerto Rico’s energy system.
“Act 17 charts a course toward a resilient, clean and distributed energy system with citizen participation, which is why there is a need for the ‘Glosario Energético,’” said Seilhamer.
“Act 17 has driven the rapid transformation of consumers to prosumers. In view of the opportunity to produce and consume your own energy within Puerto Rico’s energy system, there is a need to acquire the needed information to understand energy terms to maximize the benefits of being a prosumer,” said Bhatia.
The “Glosario Energético” was developed by two nonprofit organizations, the Instituto de Competitividad y Sostenibilidad Económica de Puerto Rico (ICSE), and Justicia Energética para-Puerto Rico (JEPR), with financial support from Banco Popular and other contributors.
The educational publication was presented during an event held at the Colaboratorio of Foundation for Puerto Rico in Santurce, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of Act 17.
“The ‘Glosario Energético’ is an initial step toward helping consumers understand energy terms and concepts. This publication allows them to acquire knowledge so they may participate actively in decision-making and offer potential solutions that will pave the way for Puerto Rico’s energy transformation,” said Fernando Agrait, one of the dictionary’s authors.
Ramón Luis Nieves, coauthor of the glossary and executive director of JEPR, emphasized the significance of the energy system’s transformation for “consumers, the government and the private sector,” adding that “the ‘Glosario Energético’ will be an important educational tool for all sectors due to the topic’s complexities. At JEPR we are proud to have collaborated with ICSE in producing this educational tool.”
Since the approval of Act 17, there have been many developments in Puerto Rico’s energy landscape, among them a surge in the number of prosumers, as many consumers have installed rooftop solar systems to generate their own electricity and sell the surplus.
Act 17 is the result of various efforts, including a collaborative initiative organized by ICSE and the Rocky Mountain Institute in 2018, which brought together 40 professional and community-based organizations.
At the presentation, ICSE and JEPR announced the launch of a campaign to promote the “Glosario Energético,” aligning with critical energy decisions set for this year, such as the presentation of the Integrated Resources Plan this summer and ongoing restructuring of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s debt.
