Gov. Arnold I. Palacios picks a piece of paper bearing the name of the lucky resident who would be the first recipient of the Commonwealth Assistance for Renewable Energy’s residential solar grant during a raffle draw at the Rota Mayor’s Office on Friday last week. in the picture are Rota Mayor Aubry Hocog, second left, and Office of Grants Management-State Clearinghouse Administrator Epi Cabrera, right.
Contributed photo
GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios launched the Commonwealth Assistance for Renewable Energy or CARES Program last week with a raffle drawing that selected a Rota resident as the first recipient of a residential solar grant.
During a visit to the island, Palacios and Office of Grants Management-State Clearinghouse Administrator Epi Cabrera held a raffle drawing of applicants’ names, with Rosa Uddin of Sinapalo II selected as the first awardee.
According to Cabrera, the pilot project, called Rota 100-Direct Assistance, aims not only to introduce renewable energy solutions on Rota but also improve economic conditions by reducing energy costs for residents.
Funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs under the Energizing Insular Communities Program, the project will support residential solar photovoltaic installations by awarding grants to 20 households for systems ranging from five to 10 kilowatts, he said. It is part of the administration’s broader commitment to promote renewable energy and reduce the financial burden on Rota residents, he added.
Last week, he said, grants management staff “diligently conducted pre-inspections of homes to ensure they met qualification criteria. The second batch of awardees will be announced following a second round of inspections in the coming weeks.”
Cabrera said before any solar installation can take place, the grants management office will have to contract a professional energy auditor to inspect each selected home in accordance with the U.S. Department of Energy’s auditing standards. This step, he said, ensures that homes meet the necessary criteria for safe and effective solar PV system installations.
“The CARES program is a critical step toward energy independence for our community,” the governor said.
“By providing direct support for residential solar installations, we are helping families reduce their electricity costs and ease the financial strain of the high cost of living on Rota,” Cabrera said as he expressed his enthusiasm for the project, “especially as Rota moves toward achieving 100% in renewable energy.”
He also emphasized the importance of this initiative in providing direct assistance to the people of Rota and supporting their “transition to clean energy solutions.”
Rota Mayor Aubry M. Hocog praised the program, which she said is “a great opportunity for our residents to transition to renewable energy while alleviating financial burdens. I commend the administration for prioritizing Rota in this effort and look forward to seeing more families benefit from this program.”
Cabrera said the administration is seeking additional funding sources to expand this assistance to CNMI residents.
One option under consideration, he said, is the Department of Public Works-Division of Energy’s Revolving Loan Program, which offers Solar PV Systems loans at a 2% interest rate for residential clients. This program could further support households looking to transition to renewable energy solutions, he added.
