PVTIME – Amid heightened energy and political tensions, Chinese-donated solar photovoltaic systems are countering the United States’ energy blockade on Cuba. On the 3rd, Argentina’s El Diario de San Juan reported that 5,000 systems donated by China are safeguarding Cuba’s energy security and supporting the country in the face of US oil blockades and sanctions. Washington has recently tightened its policies against Cuba, issuing an executive order to impose tariff hikes on countries supplying oil to Cuba in an attempt to sever its energy supply chain.
The project, implemented by Cuba’s National Electric Union, aims to enhance energy resilience. A total of 2,671 systems will be installed in key municipal institutions, including polyclinics, maternity and childcare centres, banks, funeral homes, and radio stations. These off-grid systems will enable these institutions to operate independently during national grid failures or large-scale blackouts, ensuring critical functions such as vaccine refrigeration and emergency medical treatment can continue.
China’s assistance also covers 2,329 remote households which previously had no access to electricity or relied on generators which are now inoperable due to fuel shortages. According to a project official, the technology will improve living standards by enabling the use of basic household appliances and helping to slow population outflow. In addition to international support, Cuba is implementing internal reforms, offering tax exemptions to individuals and institutions investing in renewable energy to transform the energy landscape.
According to estimates by the British think tank Ember, Cuba’s solar panel imports from China surged 34-fold in the 12 months to April 2025, marking the world’s fastest growth rate. The ongoing energy crisis has led to increased domestic solar adoption, with Cuban businesses and households utilising solar energy extensively. A saleswoman at a state-owned solar product store confirmed high demand, while a Cuban economist suggested that the country could undergo the world’s fastest energy transition.
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