Renewable Energy in Cuba
Cuba’s Renewable Energy Challenges
Renewable Energy
In 2019, Cuba signed an agreement with the United Nations for Project 180087, committing to generate 29% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. The project was scheduled to conclude on June 30, 2023, with a budget of $3.4 million.
The Cuban state forecasts generating 30,000 GWh by 2030, an almost unattainable goal. Not only are there no plans to build new thermoelectric plants, but the National Electric Union (UNE) currently supplies only 56.6% of the energy it provided five years ago. In 2023, only 15,300 GWh were generated, of which 3,700 GWh were lost, resulting in a net generation of 11,600 GWh.
The 29% target of 30,500 GWh translates to 8,700 GWh from renewable sources, including biomass, wind, hydroelectric, and photovoltaic energy.
Biomass
To increase energy generation in the sugar industry, the government planned to build 19 biomass plants with a total capacity of 755 MW by 2021.
The first biomass plant was built at the Ciro Redondo sugar mill in Las Tunas province. It has an installed capacity of 60 MW and cost $160 million, with an additional $170 million invested to modernize the sugar mill.
The bidding process for the plant began in 2012, and the investment process lasted eight years. It was expected to start operating in 2019 but was connected to the National Electric System only in 2020. It was projected to generate 380 GWh annually, save $50 million per year on fuel purchases, and clear 10,000 hectares of marabú for planting.
Currently, the plant is idle due to a lack of bagasse and marabú and issues with the generator rotor's vibrations. Both the plant and the sugar mill face an uncertain future. No one has been held accountable for the mismanagement of state funds, and Biopower S.A. has not been compelled to meet contract terms.
Hydroelectric Energy
The flow of Cuban rivers does not allow for a significant increase in hydroelectric generation, which has declined since 2018. That year, 145.5 GWh were generated, compared to only 106.5 GWh in 2023.
Wind Energy
The wind energy investment plan includes installing 633 MW. In 2019, the Herradura 1 project began construction of a wind farm with 34 wind turbines and a total installed capacity of 51 MW. The budget was $81 million.
By April 2024, only 22 bases for wind turbines had been built, with turbines, the electrical substation, and transmission lines still pending. The project's completion date is unknown.
The planned 22 wind turbines would have an installed capacity of 33 MW. Assuming an average efficiency of 40% and 2,500 hours of annual operation, they could generate approximately 33 GWh annually.
The Herradura 2 project, with a capacity of 50 MW, has been indefinitely postponed. Plans for a third wind farm with 40 MW have been canceled.
Photovoltaic Energy
On March 14, 2024, the Ministry of Energy and Mines announced plans to install 92 photovoltaic parks with a total capacity of 2,000 MW by 2028. In June 2021, construction of the first park, with a capacity of 21 MW, was “advancing.” However, as of November 2024, no significant progress has been reported.
When completed, this park could generate 31 GWh annually.
Over the last decade, renewable energy generation in Cuba peaked at 974 GWh in 2020 but dropped dramatically to 546 GWh by 2023. To meet the 2030 climate agreement targets, Cuba would need to increase renewable generation by more than 8,000 GWh annually.
In 2022, the cost of installing 1 MW of photovoltaic energy in the U.S. ranged from $1 to $3 million, requiring approximately one hectare of land per MW installed. A 100 MW solar farm could generate about 150 GWh per year. However, in Cuba, solar parks are small and scattered, driving up construction costs and reducing operational efficiency.
To achieve the additional 8,000 GWh annually, approximately 5,400 MW of solar panels would need to be installed, requiring an investment of around $5.4 billion. Despite this, construction of biomass plants is halted, wind energy projects are stalled, and progress in photovoltaic energy is slow.
Furthermore, because of the unreliability of renewable energy supply, conventional backup plants would need to be built. Modernizing the national electricity system to connect generation points with consumers and upgrading automated systems to manage load changes efficiently would also be necessary.
Despite these challenges, Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy has expressed confidence that Cuba will meet its 2030 goals.
Sources: Canal Caribe and Cubadebate
Original article: ForesightCuba.com