For Javier Rúa, the importance of clean energy is not abstract—it’s a matter of life and death. After Hurricane María devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, widespread outages left residents without electricity for months. “Three thousand people died because of basic power after Hurricane María,” Rúa recalls. “I believe that more solar plus storage would have saved lives.”
That experience fuels his passion for expanding access to renewable, resilient energy systems on the island.
Before entering the clean energy sector, Rúa served Puerto Rico as a public servant, working on natural resources, environmental and land use regulation, and eventually overseeing telecommunications as chief of the Puerto Rico Public Utilities Commission. Outside of government, he led his own consulting and legal practice specializing in regulatory and government affairs, with a growing emphasis on renewable energy.
His introduction to clean energy came through his legal work with renewable clients, sparking a deeper commitment to advancing policy that supports a sustainable and resilient grid.
Rúa considers his role in helping to secure Puerto Rico’s Clean New Deal, known as Act 17—the Puerto Rico Energy Public Policy Act of 2019—his proudest professional accomplishment. “In fact, I had a hand in crafting the legislation,” he notes. This landmark law set ambitious renewable energy targets and laid the foundation for a transformative shift in Puerto Rico’s power system.
To Rúa, clean energy is not just about technology—it’s about human impact. “Solar is an industry that saves lives and improves quality of life by abating outages and high power prices,” he says. With renewable energy, Puerto Rico can build resilience, strengthen public health, and contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change.
Rúa emphasizes that policymaking is central to clean energy progress. “It’s critically important we get these policies right, and erase the obstacles, to quickly deploy lifesaving, resilient approaches to clean energy with solar plus storage.”
By championing strong policies, he sees his role as ensuring Puerto Rico can fully realize the promise of renewable power while setting an example for others.
For Rúa, clean energy is both personal and planetary. “It means working in an industry that saves lives while proving we can all also contribute to local Puerto Rico & global planetary health.”
Rúa’s message to U.S. policymakers is direct: “Because solar saves the planet, and we can’t have jobs without a planet.” He believes federal investment in clean energy will not only address the climate crisis but also strengthen resilience, create opportunities, and safeguard lives.
