Cuba moves towards energy independence

Cuba is undergoing a process of socio-economic modernisation of the country and one of its priorities is to promote renewable and sustainable energies on the island. For this reason, through the EU-funded Cuba-EU II expert exchange programme, led by the FIIAPP and financed by the European Union, a series of activities have been organised to continue accompanying Cuba’s modernisation process in the field of biogas, sustainable energy districts and energy efficiency.

The activities consisted of technical assistance and specialised training that culminated in a study visit with an extensive tour of the Spanish territory, visiting different facilities and institutions of reference in the field of clean energy and the use of waste.

The visits began in Asturias, with a visit to the biogas plant of Energy Green Gas Tineo, as well as the facilities for the use of waste.

Subsequently, the Cuban delegation travelled to Barcelona to visit several companies related to sustainable energy districts and energy efficiency, such as Districlima, an urban heat and cold distribution network for use in heating, air conditioning and domestic hot water, as well as the Ecoenergies plant, a thermal energy supplier for the southern part of the city.

Finally, the delegation visited various public and private facilities that base their model on the integral use of energy sources in Gran Canaria. They were also able to visit a hydroelectric power plant, as well as wind farms, hotels and shopping centres that use sustainable and harnessing energy sources.

All the activities carried out within the framework of the programme are aimed at accompanying the process of energy upgrading, mainly for the hotel sector, but also for the pharmaceutical industry, in accordance with the policy guidelines for the introduction of renewable energies and Cuba’s National Plan. Cuba’s objective is to become energy independent and to produce mainly clean and renewable energies. The island already has a pilot biogas project in the municipality of Martí.