Energy Storage, Microgrids, Solar  -  October 3, 2017

Tesla shipping battery packs to Puerto Rico

As Puerto Rico struggles to recover from the devasting impacts of Hurricane Maria, Tesla Inc. is reportedly sending hundreds of its Powerwall battery systems to the island. 

Bloomberg News reported Sept. 28 that the company said it has already shipped some of the systems, which can be paired with solar panels in an effort to help restore electricity on the island, and others are en route. German energy storage company Sonnen Inc. has also announced efforts to help the island restore electricity by building and donating microgrids.

Puerto Rico's electric grid remains decimated more than a week after Maria made landfall; officials told The New York Post on Oct. 2 that only 5% of customers had power. 

Tesla told Bloomberg that has employees on the ground to install them and is working with local organizations to identify locations.

Sonnen said in a news release Oct. 2 that it is working with a local partner, solar developer Pura Energia, in Puerto Rico to identify targeted "emergency relief sites," where stable microgrids will make a significant impact on the community; the company said its plans from there include subsidizing the cost of Pura Energia to install the systems. 

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