New solar power initiatives in Cuba launched with China's cooperation

Image via the PCC

By René Tamayo León, translated from the Spanish

GUANAJAY, Artemisa.- "China's collaboration with Cuba in the energy sector continues to be strong and consistent. This includes ongoing projects like providing equipment and spare parts for distributed generation, supplying five thousand photovoltaic systems for isolated homes, and setting up additional photovoltaic solar parks (PSFV) with a combined capacity of 85 MW. Future plans involve installing another 200 MW and introducing a new set of five thousand photovoltaic systems for isolated homes."

The ambassador of the People's Republic of China on the island, Huan Xin, mentioned this during the inauguration in Guanajay, Artemisa, of the seventh 5 MW photovoltaic solar power plant (PSFV) of the first phase of a donation from the Party, Government, and people of the sister country. This initiative will contribute an additional 120 MW to the national electrical energy system (SEN).

The Martyrs of Barbados II was officially commissioned by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic. It is now linked to the SEN, similar to its counterparts of five MW constructed in several provinces, collectively providing a generation capacity of 35 MW.

After the conclusion of this phase, it is expected that before next April the second stage, already underway, will be completed, and which includes 13 PSFVs of 5 MW and two of 10 MW, with a total power of 85 MW and batteries to store 20 percent of the generation produced.

"Each of these steps," the diplomat said, "demonstrates China's commitment to Cuba's sustainable development. In the future." He further noted, "our country is willing to continue strengthening this cooperation, thus contributing to the construction of the China-Cuba community of shared future."

Describing the benefits of the seven new PSFVs, as the first stage of the donation, Huan Xin commented that they will save about 18,000 tons of imported fuel annually.

"From the signing of the exchange of project notes, the arrival of the first batch of equipment, to the total connection to the grid today, the efficient collaboration between Chinese and Cuban companies has been achieved with impressive speed, which marks a new stage in the collaboration between both countries in the field of clean energy," he stressed.

"And the strategic significance of this project," he added, "is profound. On a social level, it will provide the population with a clean, stable and reliable electricity supply, thus improving their well-being. On an economic level, the saving of foreign currency will boost Cuba's economic recovery. And at the environmental level, the annual reduction in carbon emissions will contribute to global climate governance."

The inauguration of the PSFV Martyrs of Barbados II was also attended by the member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the provincial committee of the Party in Artemisa, Gladys Martínez Verdecia; the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, and the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gerardo Peñalver Portal, among others.

On the Cuban side, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Déborah Rivas Saavedra extended "on behalf of the Government, the Party and the Cuban people, the deepest and most sincere gratitude to the Government of the People's Republic of China, the China Agency for International Development Cooperation and the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange, for the arduous efforts made to execute this project in the shortest possible time".

She praised the fact that the Chinese authorities had given the initiative "emergency treatment in order to support our country in the face of the complex situation facing the National Electric System," as well as the technical collaboration between the Chinese and Cuban institutions that participated.

Stating that the Martyrs of Barbados II PSFV was constructed in record time after the supplies arrived last July, she noted that, similar to the other six plants of 5 MW, this one is expected to generate around 8,000 MWh, totaling 56,000 MWh annually. This will help mitigate daytime service disruptions and enhance the installed electricity generation capacity.

Highlighting the contribution of this donation to the advancement of the transformation of the national energy matrix, by increasing the use of renewable and clean energy, the deputy minister of MINCEX emphasized its environmental impact, which "will be remarkable, as a total of 49,280 tons of carbon dioxide will no longer be emitted into the atmosphere." In addition, they will contribute to the national effort in the search for energy sovereignty and independence.

Rivas Saavedra reported that, after completing the first stage of 35 MW, with the seven PSFV of 5 MW each, progress is being made rapidly in the second phase of the project which is another 85 MW.

She said that for this "the first supplies have arrived in the country and the rest will be received before the end of this year, which will allow its construction and commissioning in the first quarter of 2026."

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment reiterated her gratitude "for the consistent gestures of support of the People's Republic of China to Cuba in this complex moment we are facing, in particular cooperation in the energy sector."

She also expressed gratitude for "the swift response from the Chinese government in offering solidarity aid to help recover from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Melissa. This aid includes donations of food, galvanized steel coils for roof production, mattresses, solar lights, and more, which will benefit those affected in the eastern provinces."

"All these signs of cooperation by the Chinese government," she said, "reaffirm the special character of our ties and are a practical expression of the construction of a community of shared future between China and Cuba."

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC