Unprecedented federal funding to fix PR’s electric system has the potential to save lives and build resilience by investing in distributed solar power. Yet so far it appears to be business as usual.
by
Ruth Santiago
|March 7, 2022
FEMA’s $9.6 billion funding for electric system work in Puerto Rico presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the energy system, making it healthier for residents and more resilient against future disasters.
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Ruth Santiago and Michael B. Gerrard
|July 15, 2021
The surprising finding suggests that future hurricanes stoked by warming climate may be even more destructive to forests than scientists have already projected.
A team of students designs and implements an off-grid solar panel system to help victims of Hurricane Maria.
by
Kathrin Havrilla-Sanchez
|January 22, 2020
Working closely with Vieques residents, graduate students designed solutions to help the tiny island recover after Hurricane Maria and weather future storms. Their proposals are published in a new report.
In the two years since Hurricane Maria, the Urban Design Lab has been working with the small island community to design resilient homes, community centers, and sustainable infrastructure.
Putting the lights back on in Puerto Rico was the most challenging mission of his career, says Carlos Torres in a new episode of the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast.
Ecologist Maria Uriarte investigates the effects of Hurricane Maria on the forests of Puerto Rico, and how long-term climate change may affect them.
Puerto Rico suffered an estimated $94 billion or more in damage, on top of an already sagging economy and $74 billion in debt. The island needs a total reboot. Can it do it sustainably?
As cities begin to rebuild infrastructure ravaged by hurricanes, now is the time to adopt climate-resilient energy systems. Innovative collaborations between public and private stakeholders can help.