Yabucoa, Puerto Rico — September 22, 2025 — GRID Alternatives Puerto Rico, with Mayor Rafael Surillo Ruiz's endorsement, has officially opened a new Solar Training Center at the Martorell Community Center in Yabucoa. The center will provide hands-on training to equip residents with the skills needed to succeed in Puerto Rico’s fast-growing renewable energy sector. This center will provide training in addition to GRID’s existing training center in Juncos.
“We celebrate the inauguration of this solar training center in the heart of Yabucoa alongside GRID Alternatives because together we will empower our communities with specialized knowledge and practical skills in renewable energy that will help us strengthen the sustainability and resilience of all of southeastern Puerto Rico,” shared Surrillo Ruiz.
The center will launch with the Installation Basics Training (IBT) 120 program, a comprehensive three-week course covering basic electricity, installation safety, construction fundamentals, solar system design, and rack & rooftop installation. Designed specifically for under-resourced communities, the program also provides stipends, soft skills for employment readiness, and direct connections to local employers to ensure graduates are ready for meaningful employment in the solar industry.
“Our students graduate with all the tools necessary to join the industry as solar installation technicians, including first aid and occupational safety certifications, as well as more than 60 hours of hands-on experience,” said Jenean Smith, Vice President of International Programs at GRID Alternatives.
Yabucoa, one of the communities hardest hit by Hurricane Maria and still experiencing ongoing grid instability, is an ideal location for this new resource. The program aims to strengthen economic opportunity by preparing residents for solar careers while enhancing community resilience against future power disruptions.
“This training center represents a great opportunity for our people to educate and prepare themselves in a field that is increasingly necessary, such as solar energy. It also represents progress for our community and hope for many people who are seeking a better future,” said María M. Álvarez, Community Leader and Manager of the Martorell Community Center.
More than 100 individuals across Puerto Rico have already completed the IBT 120 program through our training center in Juncos, with many securing jobs at solar installation companies, utilities, and clean energy nonprofits.
The Yabucoa center marks a crucial expansion of this effort, building a more diverse and skilled workforce for Puerto Rico’s transition to renewable energy.
Learn more about how to be an IBT student in Puerto Rico on our website https://gridalternatives.org/solar-workforce-development-puerto-rico-0.
Photo caption: Martorell’s community leader María M. Álvarez, alongside Yabucoa’s mayor Rafael Surrillo Ruiz and the team at GRID Alternatives, cut the ribbon to inaugurate the new Solar Training Center.
Photo Credit: GRID Alternatives
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Norton
Media Relations Coordinator
enorton@gridalternatives.org