Opening the way to modernization

Cuba plans to focus on renewable energy sources (RES) as Opening the way to modernization.

Cuba currently produces 96% of its electricity through the use of fossil fuels. This statistic reveals that this is an economy highly dependent on imports with expensive production costs. For this reason, the Council of Ministers approved the Future Development of Renewable Energy Sources and the Efficient Use of Energy Policy on June 21, drawn up by the Governmental Commission charged with this task and responsible for exploiting the full potential of the country’s renewable energy sources.

The gist of the policy is to use alternative sources, such as:

• Sugar Cane biomass
• Wind
• Solar
• Hydropower

Coupled with the development of these alternative sources, there is also a drive to energy efficiency:

The increased use of the RES and the efficient use of energy are as comprehensive and transversal as the main aims of the country’s long term development plans, which are all directly linked.

The aim of this policy is:

The magnitude of this policy can be appreciated in the table of information below, but this is only one element in understanding the scope of the policy. Cuba is planning to generate 24% of its electrical energy, through RES, by 2030, which will result in a saving of more than 1.3 million tones of fossil fuel or approximately 780 million dollars per year.

This also shows the under-development of the Cuban in comparison with an advanced economy such as Germany. The figures quoted in If Germany Drops Coal, can the Industry Survive? are that …about 45% of Germany’s electricity comes from burning coal and for RES to account for around two thirds of supply within two decades.

This disparity will probably mean that Cuban industrial development will be impeded by having a greater reliance on fossil fuels when more advanced economies have substantially lessen theirs. And this will make it more difficult to catch up.