Some experts and advocates say the government’s push for liquefied natural gas is standing in the way of renewable energy goals.
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Puerto Rico’s Energy Future: Is Gas the Only Option?
Abatify Summary
Nature & Climate Perspective
**The locking in of LNG infrastructure in Puerto Rico directly hinders local renewable energy integration, delaying deep decarbonization and exacerbating regional climate vulnerability. **
- Fossil fuel infrastructure expansion poses localized threats to coastal biodiversity and marine ecosystems vulnerable to industrial development.
- Continued gas reliance fails to leverage localized LULUCF benefits that co-locating solar with agricultural land (agrivoltaics) could provide.
- Methane emissions from the LNG supply chain accelerate short-term warming, undermining global efforts toward long-term environmental stability.
Market & Policy Outlook
**Prioritizing fossil gas investments over solar-plus-storage undermines compliance with local renewable mandates and deviates from ICVCM alignment principles prioritizing permanent emissions abatement. **
- The state-backed push for gas locks in transition risks, directly challenging SBTi corporate procurement strategies that require rapid grid decarbonization.
- The slow deployment of renewables limits the generation of localized I-RECs, reducing market liquidity and compliance options for regional corporations.
- This centralized fossil strategy diverges from Article 6.4 concepts of host-country ambition, limiting the region's integration into global environmental asset markets.
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