Puerto Rico solar sector aids Jamaica recovery
Puerto Rico’s solar industry has mobilized to support Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, the third most powerful Atlantic storm on record and the strongest ever to hit the island, left more than 70% of Jamaica’s electrical grid disabled. Recovery efforts are expected to take weeks or months.
During the annual Puerto Rico Solar Energy and Storage Association (SESA) Summit, held as the hurricane made landfall, industry members quickly organized a relief effort to provide solar-powered aid.
Companies including Power Solar, Iso Solar, GenEra L3C, Unirac, Ecoflow, SunRun and Tesla joined forces to send more than $110,000 in solar equipment and batteries to Jamaica, along with cash donations collected during the event.
“SESA was originally founded to help coordinate the efforts of solar companies during the massive blackout following Hurricane Maria’s impact on Puerto Rico,” said PJ Wilson, SESA’s co-founder and president.
“We’re grateful to see how the collective work of our summit facilitates the necessary synergy for solar companies to efficiently organize a humanitarian response in support of Jamaica in this time of need,” he said.
The shipment from Puerto Rico complements an earlier delivery of 150 solar generators from Footprint Project, which is working with aid organizations and the Jamaica Renewable Energy Association to install microgrids and distribute power systems.
