The mountain town of Adjuntas in Puerto Rico has become the first in the country to have a community solar microgrid. The project was initiated by Casa Pueblo, an organization that has worked since 1980 on the idea of energy independence.
For many years, Puerto Rico has suffered from frequent power outages and high electricity rates. The situation was worsened by devastating hurricanes and aging infrastructure. Today, Adjuntas already has five microgrids with a capacity of 228 kilowatts. They supply power to 15 local businesses and hundreds of homes, and support cultural and social projects. The town’s central square has been turned into a solar hub with a “solar forest” — installations shaped like trees with panels instead of canopies. It also houses an open center for residents, a radio station, and a cinema powered by solar batteries.
The effect has been noticeable: during recent blackouts, when the entire archipelago was plunged into darkness, Adjuntas remained illuminated. People came to the community center to charge their phones and connect essential appliances to battery systems.
Adjuntas’s story fits into a broader context: Puerto Rico plans to fully switch to renewable energy by 2050. But even today, the small mountain town shows that energy can be not only clean, but also a public value available to everyone.
