Town of Genesee-based
Generac is the recipient of a $200 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy which will allow the company to install solar and battery storage systems for disadvantaged households in Puerto Rico.
The grant, which will be allocated over the course of five years, is part of the $1 billion
Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). The fund was launched in 2023 with the goal of supporting Puerto Rico’s grid resilience efforts while also helping the commonwealth meet its electricity needs with 100% renewable energy.
Through the PR-ERF’s Solar Access Program, Generac will install residential solar and battery storage systems for disadvantaged Puerto Rican households beginning in August. The $200 million grant will also be used to support the creation of clean energy jobs in Puerto Rico.
"We've been providing reliable backup power solutions to the people of Puerto Rico for more than 20 years, including after Hurricane Maria devastated the island's power grid and left 95% of residents without electricity," said
Aaron Jagdfeld, president and CEO of Generac. "We are proud to be a recipient of this DOE grant to provide clean, resilient, efficient power for those who are often underserved during outages."
Generac will partner with several companies to support its work, including the nonprofits
PathStone and
Interstate Renewable Energy Council;
FR-BLDM, a local contractor in Puerto Rico;
Juapi Energy, a PWRcell installer and Generac Services Dealer in Puerto Rico; and
Palmetto, a climate technology company.
These companies will help lead workforce development and training efforts that focus on providing jobs for residents in vulnerable communities across Puerto Rico.
"Supporting local companies is an important part of our objective to provide reliable and sustainable energy solutions to Puerto Rico's most vulnerable communities," said
Norm Taffe, president of Energy Technology at Generac. "By working with local installers and businesses, we not only gain valuable on-the-ground support but also foster job creation and community development. This collaboration helps ensure that we can deliver high-quality, resilient power solutions while uplifting the local workforce and economy."
