Cuba trains specialists in sustainable energy districts

Air conditioners and other refrigeration systems consume a lot of energy. Sustainable energy districts enable efficient cooling or heating by drawing off deep sea water or water from volcanic areas. This technology is not yet present in Cuba. For this reason, the Cuba-EU II Expert Exchange Programme, funded by the European Union and managed by FIIAPP, works to train specialists and promote the use of this technology in the country.

Cuba dedicates a lot of energy to refrigeration and is working to lower that cost and promote renewable energy. District cooling reduces the stress on the electric grid caused by increased demand. With the development of these energy districts, it will be possible to have sustainable facilities both for tourism (hotel refrigeration: air conditioning and food maintenance) and for the pharmaceutical industry (refrigeration and maintenance of medicines).

Along these lines, the cooperation programme, together with the Cuban Institute of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (IRC) has organised a series of training sessions on energy districts. Specialists from different Cuban entities from sectors such as refrigeration, air conditioning, the hotel industry and the pharmaceutical industry attended. Institutions from the tourism sector such as the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba (MINTUR) and CUBANACAN (Cuban hotel business group) were also present.

The training session was focused on the study of facilities for sustainable energy districts, basic concepts, current trends, development phases, barriers and opportunities, system typologies, use of renewable and residual energy, synergies between thermal districts and electrical systems, as well as on studies of specific application cases in Cuba, analysing the challenges and opportunities for the country.

The introduction of this technology in the country is part of efforts being carried out through the exchange of experts project in the field of energy efficiency in Cuban hotel facilities.