New Year’s Eve blackout spotlights Puerto Rico’s ‘critical’ need for planned solar + storage
Puerto Rico kicked off 2025 with a harsh reminder of its fragile power grid. On New Year’s Eve, nearly the entire island – 90% – lost electricity, leaving over 1.3 million customers in the dark during holiday celebrations. Power was restored on January 1, but the blackout underscored an urgent need for reliable energy solutions.
In a move to help bolster Puerto Rico’s grid resilience, Convergent Energy and Power secured a conditional commitment from the US Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office for a massive solar and battery storage initiative in December. The DOE’s backing includes up to $559.4 million in loan guarantees, paving the way for Convergent to install both solar and standalone battery systems across the island.
New solar + storage for Puerto Rico’s grid
The flagship project in Coamo will include a 100-megawatt (MW) solar PV system paired with a 55.5-MW battery energy storage system. Convergent will also deploy standalone battery systems in Caguas, Peñuelas, and Ponce with a collective capacity of 225 MW. Together, these installations will pump approximately 200,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy into Puerto Rico’s grid annually – enough to power 19,000 homes.
Puerto Rico’s energy costs are among the highest in the US, and its grid is still notoriously unreliable, so these projects will help reduce dependence on fossil fuels and cut electricity prices.
Cleaner, more reliable grid
Convergent estimates the initiative will avoid 2.5 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. That’s like taking the energy use of 335,000 homes off the grid. The company’s CEO, Frank Genova, said, “Enhancing grid reliability and sustainability in Puerto Rico is critical … We look forward to contributing to the modernization of Puerto Rico’s electric grid and advancing its clean energy goals.”
The broader benefits are equally compelling. Solar and battery storage will help stabilize Puerto Rico’s grid, which has been battered by hurricanes, mismanagement, and underfunding for years. The project is expected to create around 540 construction jobs and 20 permanent positions while integrating community benefits like local engagement and labor standards.
Why this matters now
The New Year’s Eve blackout might have been one of the island’s worst in recent memory, but it’s not an isolated incident. Puerto Rico’s power grid has struggled to recover after Hurricane Maria in 2017, which devastated its infrastructure. Despite federal funding and promises of grid modernization, outages remain a regular occurrence, pushing residents and businesses to install their own solar panels and generators.
Convergent’s project aims to address these issues at a systemic level. The DOE’s conditional loan guarantee is a strong signal of federal support, but the company must pass an environmental review and meet legal and financial conditions before the loan is finalized. If all goes to plan, the systems are expected to come online by 2026.
Read more: This accordion-style modular solar array withstands 166 mph winds
If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Tesla’s retro-futuristic diner with Superchargers and giant movie screens is ready to open, and I have to admit, it looks pretty sick.
This project has been in the works for a long time.
In 2018, Elon Musk said that Tesla planned to open an “old school drive-in, roller skates & rock restaurant at one of the new Tesla Supercharger locations in Los Angeles.” It was yet another “Is he joking?” kind of Elon Musk idea, but he wasn’t kidding.
A few months later, Tesla applied for building permits for “a restaurant and Supercharger station” at a location in Santa Monica. However, the project stalled for a long time, apparently due to local regulations.
Nevertheless, Tesla still moved forward with a Supercharger at the location, but it had to move the diner project to Hollywood. In 2022, Tesla filed the construction plans with the city, giving us the first look at what the automaker intends to build.
In 2023, the automaker broke ground on the site of the diner.
7 years after being originally announced, the project appears now ready to open:
Musk said that he ate at the diner last night and claimed that it is “one of the coolest spots in LA.” He didn’t say when it will open, but Tesla vehicles have been spotted at Supercharger and people appear to be testing the dinning experience inside.
A Tesla Optimus Robot can be seen inside the diner on a test rack. It looks like Tesla might use one for some tasks inside the diner.
Earlier this year, Tesla integrated the diner into its mobile app – hinting at some interaction through the app – possibly ordering from it.
Electrek’s Take
I think it looks pretty cool. I am a fan of the design and concept.
However, considering the state of the Tesla community, I don’t think I’d like the vibes. That said, it looks like Tesla isn’t prominently pushing its branding on the diner.
You can come and charge there, but it looks like Tesla is also aiming to get a wider clientele just for dining.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Hyundai’s electric minivan is finally out in the open. The Staria EV was caught without camo near Hyundai’s R&D center in Korea, giving us a closer look at the electric minivan undisguised.
Hyundai’s electric minivan drops camo ahead of debut
The Staria arrived in 2021 as the successor to the Starex, Hyundai’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Although the Staria has received several updates throughout the years, 2026 will be its biggest by far.
Hyundai will launch the Staria EV, its first electric minivan. Like the current model, the 2026 Staria will be available in several different configurations, including cargo, passenger, and even a camper version.
We’ve seen the Staria EV out in public a few times already. Last month, we got a glimpse of it while driving on public roads in Korea.
Despite the camouflage, new EV-like design elements were visible, including updated LED headlights and a full-length light bar. Although it’s still unclear, the electric version appears to be roughly the same size as the current Staria from the side, but slightly wider from the front.
New images posted on the South Korean forum Clien reveal a test car, expected to be Hyundai’s Staria electric minivan, without camo.
Like most Hyundai test cars, the prototype has a black front and a grey body. It still features a similar look to other prototypes we’ve seen, but you can clearly see the new facelift.
Earlier this year, a Staria EV was spotted in a parking lot in Korea, featuring a similar look. The electric version is nearly identical to the Staria Lounge, but with an added charge port and closed-off grille.
The Hyundai Staria EV is expected to make its global debut later this year. Technical details have yet to be revealed, but it’s expected to feature either a 76 kWh or 84 kWh battery, providing a range of around 350 km (217 miles) to 400 km (249 miles).
Hyundai’s electric SUV arrives after Kia introduced its first electric van, the PV5, which launched in Europe and Korea earlier this year.
In Europe, the Kia Passenger PV5 model is available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh and 71.2 kWh, providing WLTP ranges of 179 miles and 249 miles, respectively. The Cargo version has a WLTP range of 181 miles or 247 miles.
Source: TheKoreanCarBlog, Clien
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike