What if Cuba had built out more solar power?

Cuba’s large-scale blackouts that left 10 million people without power this month wouldn’t have happened if the government had built out more solar power to boost its failing electric grid as promised, some experts say.

Could more solar power boost Cuba's electric grid?

By ALEXA ST. JOHN, INGRID LOBET and ANDREA RODRIGUEZ HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s large-scale blackouts that left 10 million people without power this month may not have happened if the government had built out more solar power to boost its failing electric grid as promised, some experts say.

Can solar power solve Cuba's energy problems?

In a nation with plentiful sunshine, Cuban officials have long had the opportunity to encourage solar power as one solution to national energy problems. But October’s sweeping outages — the island’s worst power failure in years — show little progress has been made.

How will the Cuban government deal with the energy crisis?

The Cuban government plans to invest significantly in photovoltaic parks and wind farms to address the severe energy crisis that has plagued the island for several months. The Havana authorities also intend to assist citizens with installing solar panels.

Is Cuba a good candidate for solar?

Besides the strong sunlight, there is another way that Cuba is a good candidate for solar. A significant share of its electricity comes from smaller power plants distributed around the country. Solar could be added or switched out in those locations. But it hasn’t happened yet.

Where does Cuba's energy come from?

Nearly all of the country’s power — 95% — comes from burning fossil fuels. Much of that is from burning crude oil, a particularly polluting form of generation. One of Cuba’s biggest trading partners, China, makes 80% of the world’s solar panels, according to the energy data and analytics firm Wood Mackenzie, and they are inexpensive.