Former Puerto Rico Energy Regulator Joins Global Non-profit in Effort to Restore Island’s Electric Grid

(SAN JUAN, PR) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) establishes its presence in Puerto Rico with Agustín Carbó, formerly from the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau, who joins the organization as Senior Manager. Based in San Juan, Carbó will oversee the development of a community-focused microgrids project, which aims to increase access to clean, reliable and affordable electricity, particularly in rural areas of the island.

“Agustin Carbó is one of Puerto Rico’s foremost experts on energy and environmental law and policy,” said Daniel Whittle, Senior Director, Caribbean Initiatives at Environmental Defense Fund. “He intimately understands how the island’s electricity system works and the local concerns associated with it. The potential for this microgrid project to help transform the island’s energy system has never been higher.”

As a Senior Manager for EDF’s Energy program, Carbó will interact and collaborate with communities, public officials and non-governmental organizations to advance energy reform, finance and technology initiatives to steer Puerto Rico toward a cleaner, more sustainable and more resilient energy future.

“Strengthening Puerto Rico’s electric system is key to the island’s economic development and to creating a climate-resilient society,” said Carbó. “I am honored to join Environmental Defense Fund and work to empower Puerto Rico’s communities to implement a long term solution to the island’s energy crisis.”

Prior to joining EDF, Carbó was the first Chairman of the Puerto Rico Energy Commission (now the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau), Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Solid Waste Authority, and has also held positions at Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources.

EDF President Fred Krupp unveiled the organization’s vision to create a lasting solution to Puerto Rico’s energy crisis at BlackStart 2019 in close collaboration with stakeholders on the island. EDF’s approach is all-inclusive and combines technology and energy reform with public grants, philanthropic funds and impact-focused private capital to demonstrate the feasibility of low-carbon microgrids. These mini-energy service stations fuel up on solar power and run backed by battery storage and intelligent software. Linked to the larger grid — ensuring the daily dispatch of affordable, clean and reliable energy — the flexible design of these systems will allow them to separate from the grid during emergencies, like Hurricane Maria, to keep the lights on in remote parts of the island. For more information, visit www.edf.org/PuertoRico.