Puerto Rico’s power grid needs more than $130 billion in repairs after the recent hurricanes. Solar and storage companies are providing distributed energy solutions in the wake of increasing storms.
Beam Global, a distributor of solar-plus-storage EV charging stations, announced that the Puerto Rico government will begin deploying the company’s EV Arc charging system to power government vehicles and aid in disaster preparedness and grid resiliency.
The US Department of Homeland Security funds the commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s EV Arc deployments under a general services administration contract, where the federal contract can be used by state and local entities.
“Governments and companies are increasingly relying on electricity for fuel as the adoption of EVs accelerates, said Desmond Wheatly, chief executive officer of Beam Global. “The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters disaster requires more disaster preparedness. Beam products are designed and engineered to perform in extreme conditions.”
According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), grid outages have increased 64% over the past decade, with 83% of grid outages due to a weather event.
The most recent Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused more than $130 billion in damage to Puerto Rico’s electric grid to repair and replace the island’s infrastructure, while many companies such as Beam, Sunrun and Sunnova Energy provide solar products and save residents and government agencies throughout. the island.
Beam’s EV Arc is a mobile and off-grid charging system consisting of a 4.3 kW solar module whose canopy measures 21 feet by 10.6 feet and provides up to 265 miles of AC powered charging range using J- 1772 connection for most EV models. The battery can be installed in 22, 32 or 43 kWh power output configurations.
The system stands 15.3 feet tall and weighs just under 12,500 pounds, can withstand winds of 120 miles per hour, and is waterproof up to 9.5 feet.
In March, Beam acquired AllCell Technologies, allowing the EV charging systems integrator to source its own lithium-ion batteries internally from a North American battery producer.
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