Cuba’s energy solution? First of 92 solar parks scheduled to open

Earlier this month, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel inaugurated the first of 92 solar parks on the island. This is part of a Chinese-backed plan to ease hours-long blackouts that have been occurring since last year. 

Marc Franc of Reuters reported that “The park in Havana was one of 55 expected to come online this year, generating 1,200 megawatts, with the remainder opening by 2028.”

Reuters also reported that the country’s outdated power grid collapsed several times last year, and a dire fuel shortage has made it impossible to run smaller clusters of diesel-fired generators that typically back up the system.

The Cuban government is promoting the parks as a partial solution to the country’s energy problems, which have led to scattered protests among hard-pressed residents tired of a multifaceted crisis that includes scarcity of food, medicine, and other basic goods.

“The recovery of the power grid is a priority and this is one of its safest routes,” Diaz-Canel said in a tweet on Friday.

According to the Reuters report, “Cuba has a maximum demand of approximately 3,500 MW, but it regularly falls short by up to 1,500 MW, leading to power outages.”

Franc states that “Cuba agreed in April for China to help it boost the role of solar power in its grid, though neither government elaborated on financing details.

“China’s ambassador to Cuba, Hua Xin, attended the inauguration of the solar park in Havana. The event was closed to foreign journalists.

“Currently less than 5% of Cuban energy comes from alternative sources. Cuba’s goal for 2030 is 24%.”