Centro PASO
TYPE SOLAR FOR NONPROFITS
SIZE 11 KW PLUS 2 POWERWALL STORAGE UNITS
LOCATION AIBONITO, PUERTO RICO
PROGRAM SOLAR MOONSHOT
YEAR 2021
FUNDING GRANT
The Project
Centro PASO is a nonprofit in the center of the island of Puerto Rico, serving communities in need, and continuously looking at ways to expand their efforts and push towards reliance on renewable energy. Local people from the community rely on Centro PASO's aid for access to food, counseling, elderly assistance, emergency financial aid, after school children program, agricultural programs, medical supplies, assistance after disasters, and educational and wellness programs.
However, after disasters in the area, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, Centro PASO wanted to ensure they could provide their full services even in the event of a power outage. Grant funding helped install a solar plus storage system that allows Centro PASO to continue offering aid during times of crisis in the community when the residents need it most. Funding was provided in part by a grant from BQuest through the Solar Moonshot Program.
What They Are Saying
“The need for electricity became our main issue after the passage of Hurricane Maria, it affected us greatly and became a necessity to offer our services to the people affected. When people came looking for a refrigerator to store their medicines during that time, we had nowhere to keep them, and we couldn't store fresh food as well. Due to the lack of water and electricity, we were generously given an electricity generator by a donor, but the expense and little access to gasoline still made our operations very difficult. We needed to save on electricity spending in a sustainable way and able to respond in times of community crisis. It is very difficult to help our community without electricity and a reliable power generation system in Puerto Rico. The independence and reliability of energy is essential for all.”
- Margarita Centeno, Centro PASO Director
The Impact
359
METRIC TONS CO2 MITIGATED
$7,500
LIFETIME SAVINGS
Carbon Equivalencies
77
Gasoline-powered cars off the road for 1 year
397,201
Avoided emissions from burning 397,201 pounds of coal
425
Carbon sequestered by 425 acres of forest in 1 year