Cuba item solar

Is Cuba wasting solar energy?

With just 20,000 solar water heaters and a million kWh every day of energy installed in its photovoltaic parks, Cuba is basically wasting the vast majority of the solar energy it has available. This article was translated into English from the original in Spanish.

What if Cuba had built out more solar power?

Cuba’s large-scale blackouts that left 10 million people without power this month wouldn’t have happened if the government had built out more solar power to boost its failing electric grid as promised, some experts say.

Is Cuba a good candidate for solar?

Besides the strong sunlight, there is another way that Cuba is a good candidate for solar. A significant share of its electricity comes from smaller power plants distributed around the country. Solar could be added or switched out in those locations. But it hasn’t happened yet.

What percentage of Cuba's electricity comes from renewable sources?

The share of Cuba’s electricity that comes from renewable sources like solar and burning sugar cane waste has increased only slightly, from 3.8% in 2012 to 5% as of 2022, according to research from the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School and EDF.

Why is there no electricity in Cuba?

Cuba has struggled with frequent power outages for decades. Besides the U.S. economic embargo, officials have cited aging and insufficiently maintained power plants, increased demand for air conditioning and a lack of fuel for the lack of electricity.

How will Cuba's relationship with other countries impact the energy transition?

Cuba’s relationships with other countries will be key to realizing the energy transition. Since 2000, Venezuela has been Cuba’s primary source of imported oil. However, political and economic troubles in Venezuela caused oil exports to Cuba to fall by about half, resulting in Cuba increasingly seeking oil imports from Mexico and Russia.