Today, 95% of the national energy matrix consists of fossil fuels. That’s because There is an urgent need to promote projects to change the energy matrix in Cuba towards the use of renewable energy sources (FRE).
Since 2014, our country has adopted a policy for the prospective development of renewable sources and their efficient use in order to gguarantee a safe transition, environmentally friendly and rational use of resources.
As he told Cubadebate, Rosell Guerra Campaña, Director of Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, while In 2021, the RES contributed 994,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean energy, consuming 273,000 tons of fossil fuels and avoiding 800,000 tons of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
The country’s main source is photovoltaicsTechnology with an installed capacity of 238 MW in solar parkscapable of producing the electrical energy consumed by approximately 200,000 Cuban families.
Likewise, the installation of so far 1,188 solar pumps has been achieved “particularly for the water used in livestock but also for the population and irrigation”, from a plan that totals around 7,000; 2,644 biogas plants and 34,000 solar water heaters, “a number that is still small for our planning”.
The director himself pointed to the production of 12 MW of photovoltaic solar energy on the roofs of industries and government buildings during the second International Renewable Energy Fair, a number that is set to increase to 900 MW; the presence in the country of more than 160,000 homes powered by the installation of photovoltaic solar panels; and about 600 electric vehicles circulating in the country, equipped with solar panels, among which the fleets of companies such as ETECSA and Aguas de La Habana stand out.
Still conscious be very far from what you want and can achieve on this pathFuture projections is to achieve a total change in the country’s energy matrix 100% share of renewable energy sources“For which it is estimated that more than 10,000 MW will need to be installed in photovoltaics and about 1,800 MW in wind energy, and will have to use sugar cane and forest biomass for the installation of 612 MW.”
It should be made clear that the policy is comprehensive, meaning it will cover all sectors of the economy, including prioritizing the implementation of an energy efficiency programme.
on this road The Cuban government planned to achieve 24 percent of clean energy electricity generation by 2030, but later upgraded to 37 percent.
However, the ultimate goal is 100 percent, and this requires large volumes of investment, but also the articulation of all the economic players of the largest of the Antilles, to finally achieve independence from fossil fuels.
Recently, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel asserted that “the most effective way for a poor country without resources and without fossil fuels is to use RES for the development of the nation, especially solar photovoltaic”.
The energy issue is a priority due to the current tense situation, which is characterized by the deterioration of heat generation plants, said the President during a visit to the II International Fair of Renewable Energy in Havana.
