Cuba tackles energy crisis with 2GW of solarpower

Cuban Minister of Energy Vicente de la O Levy said in a recent press conference that the government plans to install 92 solar projects to add an installed capacity of 2 GW by 2028.

The minister said in a statement that groundworks on the first facility are already being carried out at the chosen locations, and the resources for their assembly and completion are guaranteed, “once they arrive in the nation.”

The minister expressed hope for the country to recover from its delay in reaching a 24% penetration of these technologies by 2030, without elaborating on the announced projects.

“We have opted to get out of the crisis with our own resources, despite the energy situation we are facing,” said the minister. “We had very bad months on the Island due to the lack of fuel. However, the maintenance carried out by the Electrical Union to recover the technical condition of the thermoelectric plants has made it possible to reduce breakdowns.”

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Cuba had 258 MW of installed solar power by the end of 2022.