Portable Solar-Battery Systems Target Grid Reliability
The technology aims to provide households with modular backup power after pilots launched in Puerto Rico and California.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Energy
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In 2026, former NASA engineer Nicole Gonzalez was named a Bravo Family Foundation Venture Fellow. Her company, Raya Power, has piloted portable solar-and-battery units in Puerto Rico and California to provide household backup energy.
Why it matters
The company aims to address systemic energy reliability gaps in vulnerable regions, an initiative Gonzalez pursued after witnessing the impacts of the 2017 Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
The system utilizes portable solar-and-battery pods that connect directly between a standard wall outlet and home appliances. This architecture provides immediate power support during electrical grid outages.
The players
Nicole Gonzalez
An engineer with experience at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who holds a master's degree in Design Impact Engineering from Stanford University.
Raya Power
A startup developing distributed, plug-and-play solar-and-battery energy systems for household backup.
Bravo Family Foundation
An organization supporting entrepreneurial ventures through an expanded fellowship program.
Banco Popular
A financial institution that provided investment capital for Raya Power.
The details
Raya Power's hardware functions as a bridge that maintains appliance operation when the main utility connection fails. By deploying distributed solar-and-battery storage, the system ensures that essential household loads remain powered despite grid instability. This methodology prioritizes modular, plug-and-play energy access for individual families.
Timeline
September 2017: Hurricane Maria causes a widespread power and communications blackout in Puerto Rico.
2018: Gonzalez encounters a sign noting one year of power loss.
2026: Nicole Gonzalez is appointed as a fellow for the Bravo Family Foundation.
The Tech Race
Raya Power's approach competes within the broader market of decentralized residential energy systems designed to bypass grid instability. The company is currently positioning itself to scale these modular solar solutions following its initial pilot successes.
The pilot units are currently designed to provide immediate backup power to home appliances by bridging the connection between outlets and equipment. Wider consumer availability depends on the company's progress through its upcoming next stage of commercial growth.
The takeaway
Raya Power seeks to standardize portable solar storage for high-risk regions by building on its pilot deployment successes. Interested parties should monitor the firm's transition from research-stage pilots to broader commercial distribution as it scales its operations.
Further reading
For more on evolving grid infrastructure and decentralized power solutions, visit our section on Energy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hola.
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