The deployment of 115 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity in solar parks in the province of Granma allows Cuba to save 34,000 tons of diesel annually. This volume of fuel represents a financial relief of approximately $19 million in imports for the territory.
On days with favorable conditions, the generation from these renewable sources covers between 20 and 25 percent of the province’s electricity consumption, mitigating blackouts.
The infrastructure supporting these savings includes four large photovoltaic parks located in Bayamo, Niquero, Río Cauto, and Manzanillo, in addition to other installations using Chinese technology in Guisa and Yara.
The total investment for these projects, carried out over a three-year period, amounted to more than 4.2 billion pesos. Along with the economic benefit, the operation of these systems prevents the emission of 117,100 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) into the atmosphere each year, according to data from the provincial Electric Company.
The energy transformation in Cuba is a response to a context of external limitations on access to fuel. On January 29 of this year, in a new attack against the Cuban people and government, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on goods from countries that supply oil to Cuba.
In this imperial measure, a national emergency was declared, arguing that the Caribbean nation represents an alleged unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. security. This order led to fuel shortages in Cuba, directly impacting the daily lives of the population, which is already suffering the effects of the prolonged and intensified economic, financial, and commercial embargo.
Given this scenario, reducing dependence on thermal power generation, which offers some relief for the environment, has become a priority for national stability.
In addition to building photovoltaic parks, Cuba — in the face of the oil blockade — is recovering conventional power generation capacity and increasing its domestic oil and natural gas production, among other actions.
IMAGE CREDIT: On days with favorable conditions, the generation from these renewable sources covers between 20 and 25 percent of Granma’s electricity consumption. Photo: @PresidenciaCuba
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
