On the Island of Enchantment, nearly 33,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines traverse rainforests, mountains and flood-prone coastal lowlands. Difficult to manage and maintain, Puerto Rico’s decades-old power grid has suffered repeated storm damage, leaving residents in the dark for days — sometimes weeks.
Even after the grid was privatized following Hurricane Maria, residents saw power outages lengthen and electricity rates increase to cover additional generation sources like oil and natural gas.*
In response, more Puerto Ricans are turning to solar plus battery storage.
How VPPs Prevent Power Supply Shortfalls
In 2023, more than 75,000 homes and businesses on the island had installed solar with battery backup for protection against outages, rising rates and damaging voltage surges.*
But the benefits extend beyond individual houses and buildings. As more residents rely on their own power sources, the less strain Puerto Rico’s grid is forced to endure. In addition, these storage devices can be pooled together to serve the electric grid. This is how a virtual power plant (VPP) works.
With the system owner’s approval, the energy created by these solar and storage systems can be tapped by utilities when the demand for electricity is high.
This does two things:
- Sends power to the grid to prevent a power supply shortfall
- Reduces overall demand by deploying batteries to customers’ homes
By stabilizing the grid, the energy network created by a VPP benefits everyone on the island — helping residents and businesses without their own storage systems keep the lights on. As a thank you, those who participate in VPPs are compensated for doing so.
Our Commitment to VPPs in Puerto Rico
Electricity demand is being driven to record highs and Puerto Rico’s grid isn’t ready — but VPPs offer much-needed support. As an industry-leading energy services company, Sunnova is committed to improving grid reliability and reducing the need for highpolluting peaker plants that cause rates to escalate and take money off the island.
To achieve a more stable energy supply, we’ve expanded our VPP network to Puerto Rico through a partnership with HUMA Energy. Our demand response program, the Sunnova Flex Power Program™, is revolutionizing the role of residential solar plus storage by letting battery owners take control of their power generation while putting money back in their pockets. Through voluntary enrollment, our customers can play an active role in reducing grid disruptions and ensuring a dependable power supply for the entire commonwealth.
The program is new, but we’re already seeing an impact. In March of 2024, Sunnova customers helped prevent five grid outages that could have impacted several hundred thousand homes across the island.
By joining the other 2,000 participants, our customers can tackle the challenges of Puerto Rico’s decades-old grid infrastructure and enjoy financial rewards for their contribution.
Don’t have a battery yet? Get a quote for a solar + battery system or an add-on battery today!
How to Join the Sunnova Flex Power Program™
The Sunnova Flex Power Program™ is a pilot program where battery customers agree to share a portion of their stored energy during periods of high electricity demand, called a demand response event. This could be a hot summer evening or a grid emergency. *
Prior to a demand response event, Sunnova will attempt to charge residential batteries to their maximum capacity. Then when the grid becomes stressed, LUMA will send Sunnova a signal and we’ll discharge participating batteries.*
Rest assured that we’ll never use batteries during an outage, or if severe weather is predicted, such as major storm or hurricane. These measures are in place to ensure our customers’ homes are protected when they need backup power the most.
In return for the energy produced, our customers will receive a bill credit or loan reduction of up to $1,000.* The amount of compensation will depend on how many times a battery is dispatched in a year — we estimate between 50 and 100. These events will typically occur in the evenings between 7 and 11 p.m. and are expected to last a few hours.
Any customer who meets the following requirements may join the Sunnova Flex Power Program™ on a first-come, first-served basis:
- Has an active LUMA Energy account with a net metering rate plan
- Owns or leases a solar plus battery system
- Has a Tesla, Generac or Enphase battery
Preventing Catastrophe for Communities Across the Island
Puerto Ricans are known for their selflessness. After Hurricane Maria, neighbors turned to each other, offering resources and support, and assisting one another in rebuilding. Through participation in a VPP, Sunnova customers can help prevent a catastrophe.
By sharing their excess energy, now Puerto Rican battery owners will have backup power during times of need, while helping their neighbors to keep the lights on — improving energy resilience for all.
Already a Sunnova customer?
Check your inbox for emails from Sunnova to learn how to enroll.
