Solar and energy storage technologies will play a significant role in achieving Puerto Rico's resilience and renewable energy goals. Activities in this technical domain will assess Puerto Rico's technical solar potential, work to identify the most cost-effective areas for deployment, and analyze future potential while forecasting deployment impacts.

Specific activities include:

Solar Resource Forecasting and Data

NREL developed solar resource data for Puerto Rico. NREL is also developing the capability to deliver 2-kilometer, 5-minute resolution solar resource data in near real-time and additional enhancements using next-generation satellite data. Intended use is for net-load forecasting dispatch in Puerto Rico and more generally, as well as day-ahead forecasts for specific periods as required by NREL researchers conducting modeling and analysis for Puerto Rico.

Hybrid Plants

NREL is conducting analysis to identify the potential of hybrid power plants—utility-scale wind or solar facilities co-located with battery storage—to improve the reliability and resilience of the power systems in Puerto Rico, as well as optimal sizes and locations for co-virtual hybrid plants.

Voltage Regulation Strategies, Co-Simulation Case Study, and Preparing for DERs

NREL is investigating voltage regulation strategies for DERs with a focus on inverter-based DER technology types to illustrate functionality for determining performance categories and settings for voltage regulation modes. This will assist the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority in the utilization of DER voltage and reactive power control capabilities supported by IEEE Std. 1547-2018.