It ’s been over a month since Puerto Rico was struck by the wrath of Hurricane Maria yetonly 18 percentof the Islanders have approach to electricity ( a figure of speech that has really drip by 3 percent over the last few weeks ) . Luckily , relief efforts are finally picking up some impulse .
persist true to their word , Tesla ’s project to add the island with solar panel and electrical energy has cash in one’s chips live . In atweeton Tuesday , Tesla harbinger it has started work restoring electricity back to Hospital del Niño , a children ’s infirmary in Guaynabo in the northward of the island .
The project has already seen the installation of a parking lot full of solar instrument panel along with Tesla ’s Powerpack batteries . This organization includes 200 kilowatt hours ( kWh ) of solar energy multiplication and 500 kWh of storage , enough to cover the day-by-day output of the infirmary , according to CBS News correspondentDavid Begnaudwho ’s presently reporting on the ground in Puerto Rico .
Tesla also take note that this is just the “ first of many ” solar and repositing projects it has up its sleeve , so there ’s more to come . Elon Musk , Tesla ’s lead chieftain , has also donate $ 250,000 of his own money towards relief efforts on the island .
The bold effortactually beganon Twitter . Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla ’s battery technology could help Puerto Rico rebuild after Hurricane Maria . In response , Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello said : " let ’s talk " . After a few more public exchanges , Musk reply : " Sounds effective , I look forward to talking after today " . So , seemingly just like that , a deal was hold .
Tesla is n’t alone , the equally ambitious architectural plan for X ’s Project Loon has also just gone live . Project Loon has been process with the Puerto Rican Government and international aviation authority to deliver hand brake communications to the hardest hit portion of the island via giant net - shine helium balloon .
“ We ’ve never deploy Project Loon connectivity from scratch at such a rapid footstep … We contrive to stay on to offer exigency internet connectivity in areas where it ’s need for as long as it is useful and we ’re able-bodied to do so , ” X said in ablog post .
