Impact Spotlight
Puerto Rico’s first community-owned microgrid
187 kW solar microgrid powering 13 small businesses
1.1 MW of storage for up to 10 days of off-grid energy access
About
In response to a proposed open-pit mine in their hometown of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, husband and wife Alexis Massol and Tinti Deyá gathered community members to oppose the mining and the destruction it would bring to their small, mountain community. Casa Pueblo emerged from this resistance, and over the past forty years has grown into a hub for resilience, education, and environmental advocacy. Housed in a building completely run by solar power since 1999, Casa Pueblo is an outspoken advocate for solar energy's ability to reduce environmental impact and improve human lives.
“Energy independence means sustainability for the island. It means economic activation and reducing our ecological footprint.”
HF Partnership
The Honnold Foundation worked with Casa Pueblo to design and build Puerto Rico’s first cooperatively managed, community-owned solar microgrid. The microgrid is owned and managed by its own local nonprofit entity, ACESA, and will provide clean, reliable power to 13 Adjuntas small businesses, and set a precedent for energy access throughout Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Read more about the Microgrid in TIME Magazine and Grist.
In The News
