"For the people of rural Puerto Rico, these [solar plus storage] solutions mean that next time a storm hits, they won’t have to wait for more than six months to have power restored and safe water flowing." --Water Mission
Blue Planet Energy is excited and grateful for our partnership with the nonprofit Water Mission to address those in remote areas who are in desperate need of clean water in Puerto Rico following the destruction of the electrical grid by Hurricane Maria in September 2017. The rebuilding efforts continue, as many towns and villages are still without reliable, safe drinking water. We are extending this work on the island and already Blue Ion 2.0 powers four project sites that support over 1,200 people. Read more about the solar+storage water pumping solution with Blue Ion 2.0 in our new case study.
Safe Water Solutions for the Global Water Crisis
Water Mission is a non-profit organization that works with agencies including World Bank, UNICEF, and FEMA. They provide safe water and sanitation for disaster areas to overcome the water scarcity crisis through their team of engineers and global partners.
Responding to Critical Needs in Puerto Rico
When the grid goes down, you lose more than the lights. Vital services such as water pumping and health care can grind to a halt also, threatening the survival of residents. Puerto Rico experienced the loss of clean water in several remote areas of the island with the loss of the grid power. Without water or health care, people are forced to move from their homes to areas where basic needs can be met. Water Mission took action to restore clean water to remote communities in Puerto Rico that also lacked electricity post-Hurricane Maria.
Clean Energy for Clean Water with Blue Ion 2.0
Whereas Water Mission had installed many pumping systems with generators, fuel costs and availability are prohibitive and they desired a clean energy solution. Water Mission partnered with Blue Planet Energy to integrate batteries to their pumping systems and create reliable, long-term solutions for those most in need. Since then, several clean energy water pumping systems have been installed around the island. The Blue Ion 2.0 energy storage system couples with solar generation to provide a stable, reliable, and powerful source of energy for the water pump. Corozal, where the population quickly fell from 120 families to 60 with a lack of drinking water, is one of many communities where Blue Planet Energy and Water Mission have implemented solutions in Puerto Rico.
More About These Water Pumping Projects
By pairing one 16 kWh Blue Ion 2.0 with the 7 kW solar array on the pumping station, the community increased its availability of clean drinking water while also reducing fuel costs by over 75%! To read more about the project, please download the case study here. We also recently released a video from our work on the ground in La Riviera, Corozal. The town lost half its population due to the lack of electricity and water. Now the remaining 60 families are able to have reliable water supplies for many years to come.
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