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Puerto Rico unveils green energy strategy

Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuno speaks on the third day of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 3, 2008. (UPI Photo/Roger L. Wollenberg)
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuno speaks on the third day of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 3, 2008. (UPI Photo/Roger L. Wollenberg) | License Photo

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, July 22 (UPI) -- The government of Puerto Rico needs to march toward energy diversification to deal with its over-reliance on oil for electricity, the governor announced.

Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno signed new measures that outline ways to encourage the use of renewable energy on the island state.

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"We need to aggressively encourage the development of renewable energy sources for the benefit of all that reside and work in Puerto Rico," the governor said in a statement. "Establishing the right public policy will be the anchor to make it happen."

Part of the measure calls on retail energy providers to use renewable energy for 15 percent of their energy resources by 2020 and 20 percent by 2028.

The deal announced by the governor also sets up a renewable energy certificate and a green energy fund to encourage the use of renewable resources.

Consumers in the island commonwealth pay twice as much for their electricity as their mainland U.S. counterparts because oil is used for 70-percent of its electricity production.

"Diversification of our energy sources cannot wait any longer," the governor said.

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