Solar Energy Summit to focus on shift to renewable sources
The Solar Energy and Storage Association (SESA) announced the 6th SESA Summit to be held Nov. 1–3, at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel in San Juan, to discuss solutions to the challenges that may facilitate the advancement of solar energy and its sustainable storage on the island.
The three-day conference will bring together a wide array of speakers, including US Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm, as well as other key industry figures, government officials, private sector leaders, and experts from academia and nonprofit organizations.
“This conference is for everyone who is excited about advancing Puerto Rico’s path to a 100% renewable energy scenario and is committed to playing a role in making it happen,” said PJ Wilson, executive director of SESA.
The lineup of speakers also includes Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, John Berger, CEO of Sunnova; Kevin Joyce, Tesla staff product manager, and Bryan García, president of Connecticut Green Bank, Lillian Mateo, commissioner of the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau, among others. The conference is open to the public interested in registering to attend.
During the summit, speakers will be addressing topics related to the path toward achieving 100% renewable energy on the island, the experience of solar energy and the use of batteries during the emergency caused by Hurricane Fiona, exploring available funds to make the transition to renewable energy and how to prevent blackouts via virtual plants, among others.
“The transformation of our electrical system is key to guaranteeing that Puerto Rico has more resilient, reliable, clean, and affordable energy,” Pierluisi said. “My administration is committed to ensuring compliance with our public energy policy that promotes energy generation through renewable sources.”
A little more than a month ago, Puerto Rico was once again left in the dark after Hurricane Fiona passed through the southwest of the island, leaving historic flooding with more than 34 inches of rain, extensive damage, and a general blackout.
Since the devastating passage of Hurricane Maria in 2017, Puerto Ricans continues to live with the uncertainty caused by the country’s unreliable electrical grid, affecting basic services such as water pumps, telecommunications networks, and even hospitals.
“At the 6th SESA Summit we will continue to build the future and goal that our legislature has ratified of achieving 40% renewable energy by 2025 and 100% by 2050,” said Javier Rúa-Jovet, SESA’s public policy hief.
“The attendees will not only learn first-hand the most recent and relevant information on the solar energy with storage sector, but their presence reaffirms the commitment to a fast transition to clean and resilient energy for our island,” he added.
