Cuba is stepping up renewable energy plans as US restrictions on fuel imports deepen power shortages. Officials say solar farms, domestic crude and other local resources are being used to reduce dependence on foreign oil.
01Summary
- 01Energy minister Vicente de la O Levy said Cuba is turning to its own resources, including sun, wind, tides, Cuban crude oil and gas from its wells.
- 02He said 144 solar farms with a combined capacity of about 1,418 megawatts have been installed in recent years.
- 03The US halted oil shipments from Venezuela in early January and later threatened tariffs on any country exporting oil to Cuba.
- 04The International Energy Agency says only 40 per cent of Cuba's electricity comes from domestic oil production, and renewable sources covered nine per cent of energy use in 2023.
- 05US authorities said on 7 October they seized 90 biodiesel fuel shipments worth more than $2.8m, which Cuba denies any link to.
02Why it matters
The fuel squeeze is worsening blackouts, transport problems and shortages of cooking fuel on the island. Cuba’s push into solar power shows how sanctions and supply limits are forcing a rapid shift in its energy strategy.
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