Last Friday, **Cuba** inaugurated a **solar park** in Havana, the first of an ambitious project aimed at mitigating the serious **electricity crisis** facing the island through the [use of solar energy](https://noticiasambientales.com/energia/avanza-la-construccion-del-segundo-parque-solar-de-santa-fe/).
According to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, this project seeks to alleviate the tension caused by the **lack of electricity**.
The fragility of the Cuban electrical system
The fragility of the **Cuban electrical system**, which relies on over 90% non-renewable energies, has left the country on the brink of collapse in recent months, with significant **blackouts** across the island, which has a population of 10 million inhabitants.
The country’s eight obsolete thermoelectric plants, mainly inaugurated in the 1980s and 1990s, suffer constant failures. In addition, the **floating plants** leased to Turkish companies and the generators that complement the **national energy system** depend on fuel that Cuba imports with great difficulty and often faces shortages.
Expansion plan for solar parks in Cuba
Faced with this emergency, the Cuban government is working at full speed on the installation of at least 55 solar parks using **Chinese technology** by 2025, which will generate 1,200 megawatts. According to authorities, this will allow reaching a 12% [electricity generation through renewable energies](https://noticiasambientales.com/energia/construiran-el-parque-eolico-mas-austral-del-mundo/).
The Ministry of Energy and Mines announced on its X account that the **”Photovoltaic Solar Park is already synchronized”** and that another one will be added next week. The Cuban presidency also emphasized on its X account that the park is “the result of collaboration with the sister nation of China”.
“It’s a beauty. No other word serves to describe the photovoltaic solar park,” celebrated the message, accompanied by images of rows of gleaming solar panels.
Positive impact for the population
This park, located in the Cotorro municipality, south of Havana, is just a sample of the more than 90 planned solar parks throughout the country before 2030. With a **generation capacity of 21.8 MW**, this first park “will progressively reduce the annoying blackouts during daylight hours” in this populous area, as reported by the Cubadebate news portal.
Cuba is going through a complicated start of the year, with almost daily blackouts in most neighborhoods of the capital, which has 2.1 million inhabitants, while in some provinces **access to electricity** is limited to a few hours a day.
In February, authorities suspended **work and educational activities** for two days to save energy after a day with an electrical deficit of 57%, meaning a deficit of 1,810 MW against a demand of 3,200 MW. This Friday, the company Unión Eléctrica reported that the deficit would be 48%.
By 2030, Cuba plans to generate over 2,000 MW with solar energy, allowing 37% of its electricity to come from **renewable sources**, marking **an important milestone** in the transformation of the island’s energy system.
Have you visited our YouTube channel yet? Subscribe now!
