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Current Project: Puerto Rico Community Microgrid Initiative

Puerto Rico faces chronic outages, high energy costs, and aging fossil‑fuel infrastructure. Communities need power systems that can withstand storms, reduce dependence on imported fuels, and support local autonomy.
 

This project delivers a distributed microgrid model powered by solar energy, battery storage, and near‑shore wave‑energy converters (WEC). It is designed to operate independently during grid failures as a localized solution to blackouts and to support essential services year‑round.

A Resilient Energy Model for Island Transition

WHEN: 0-3 months

WHERE: Aguadilla, PR

WHO: OceanEdge RS, municipal leaders, NREL

Our initial deployment focuses on the northern coastal community of Aguadilla:

  • ​OceanEdge Renewable Solutions is implementing a 500-kW solar/WEC + 1,000 kWh battery community microgrid in northern Puerto Rico.

  • The project aims to reduce local outage duration by 60%, lower energy costs by
    10–15%, and strengthen resilience for 40–60 households, 8–10 small businesses, and 3–4 critical facilities.

  • The initiative aligns with Act 17‑2019, PR100, and federal resilience goals.

WHEN: 4-6 months

Where: Aguadilla, PR

WHO: OERS, UPRM, NREL, DoE, PREB

Regulatory alignment and technical design will provide detailed load analysis and load ID to grid distribution locations. After meeting all local guidelines, PREB and PREPA authorization will pave the way for implementation in line with state climate goals. WEC technology will power microgrid operations as the "always on" backbone while solar arrays add daytime power and reduce battery load.

WHEN: 7-12 months

WHO: UPRM, EPC, COOPS

COST: $540k-$780k per site

Over the course of a single year, PV modules, inverters, batteries and controls with storm survivability will have been tested and procured. After installation, smart meters monitor and distribute cheaper electricity with contributions to existing and neighboring grids through islanded sites. Training and hiring of local operators ensure this endeavor remains by the people of Puerto Rico, for the people of Puerto Rico.

How Renewable Energy + Battery Microgrid Works in Aguadilla

During the day, solar panels installed on rooftops and nearby land convert sunlight into electricity. These panels generate enough power to support homes, small businesses, and essential services at the Aguadilla coastal site. ​The microgrid includes a large battery system that stores extra solar and WEC energy produced during the day. This stored energy becomes the community’s supplemental and backup power supply.

 

A microgrid controller, essentially the “brain” of the system, constantly monitors how much energy is being produced, stored, and used. When storms cause outages or the main grid fails, the microgrid instantly islands, meaning it disconnects from the larger grid and powers the community on its own.

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Why this matters:

  • Lights stay on at night

  • Refrigerators, medical equipment, and water pumps keep running

  • The community has power during storms and outages

  • Local power that doesn’t depend on PREPA’s aging plants

  • Lower energy costs over time

  • Clean, renewable electricity every sunny day

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It automatically decides:

  • When to use solar power

  • When to charge or discharge the batteries

  • When to connect to or disconnect from the main grid

Justice Through Innovation

This project is community-owned,
not utility-owned. We support a transparent public dashboard that aligns with federal, territorial, and community priorities.

Expected Outcomes

Measurable, observable, quantifiable.


Reliability & Resilience
60% reduction in outage duration
20+ successful islanding events per year


Economic
10–15% reduction in electricity costs
10–15 construction jobs
2–3 long‑term technical positions

 

Environmental
180-220 metric tons of CO₂ avoided annually

Reduction of diesel generator use during blackouts

 

Social

70% of participants report improved energy security

Energy support to 60%+ low-income households

50% of local governance board seats held by locals

The Bigger Vision

The success of the Aguadilla microgrid will inspire similar projects across Puerto Rico. OceanEdge Renewable Solutions is working to expand this model to other rural and coastal communities that face frequent outages and high energy burdens. Our long-term goal aligns with the Puerto Rico 100 initiative that seeks to have an island operating on 100% renewable energy by the year 2050, and we are proud to say that goal is well under way.

Thank you for visiting the OceanEdge Renewable Solutions project page for Puerto Rico. If you would like to find out how you can support the project, or ways you can have a clean energy impact where you live, please contact us at info@oceanedgers.org

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