Powering Through the Dark: Cuba’s Race Toward Renewable Survival

Picture Credit: by NYTimes

Cubans are increasingly turning to solar energy as the island battles prolonged blackouts and deepening energy shortages amid a tightening United States embargo and disrupted oil shipments. Washington’s sanctions, renewed pressure on Venezuela and Mexico to halt fuel exports, and Cuba’s long-standing economic crisis have sharply reduced the government’s ability to import enough fuel for electricity generation, leaving much of the country in the dark.

In response, many Cubans are “scrambling to install solar panels on their homes, shops and vehicles” to maintain access to basic services during frequent outages, according to Reuters reporting.  Supported by Chinese financing and equipment donations, Havana has installed over 1,000 megawatts of solar capacity in the past year, with plans to double that total.  Where government installations often struggle to meet demand, private citizens are taking matters into their own hands, even paying high dollar prices for imported panels to power essentials like phones, internet and refrigerators.

Solar installer Raydel Cano says demand is rising as diesel and gasoline for generators become scarce, pushing businesses and households toward renewable options.  For cafe owner Dariem Soto-Navarro, solar not only provides clean energy but also reduces operating costs as traditional fuel proves harder to secure.  Even unusual solutions, such as Cuba’s postal service beginning to sell photovoltaic kits in local pesos, reflect how pervasive the crisis has become.

Picture Credit: by Reuters

Yet solar remains out of reach for many due to upfront costs, creating a divide between those who can afford panels and those left vulnerable amid ongoing shortages. This transition highlights both the resilience of Cuban citizens and the limits of renewable alternatives in a nation grappling with systemic shortages and geopolitical strife.