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Renewable energy sources in Cuba: Current situation and development prospects
Abstract
Cuba, a small country in the Caribbean Sea with a total land area of 109,886 km² and a population of around 11.2 million, has no significant proved oil, gas and coal reserves and use, in a very limited manner, some of the four main renewable energy sources available in the country, generating just 50.1 GW/h or 4.04% of the total electricity consumed in 2015 (20,288 GW/h). In 2016, electricity consumption fell to 15,182 GW/h; this means a reduction of 25% in comparison to 2015. The renewable energy sources available in the country are: Hydropower, wind power, solar photovoltaic and bioenergy. In 2015, out of Cuba's total 566 MW of renewable energy capacity installed, 83% of the total was in the bioenergy sector. In 2016, the participation of renewable energy sources in the energy mix of the country reached 4.65%. The participation of renewable energy sources in the energy mix in Cuba should reach 24% in 2030.
... This improvement can be linked with the CO 2 emissions decrease from the electricity and heat generation and the transport sectorsee Fig. 3. Although, due to the high fossil fuel consumption in its energy mix (which reached about 80% of total energy production in 2014), and to the deceleration of its economic growth (apparently caused by the Venezuela political and economic crisis in 2015-2016, given that it is the major Cuban trade partner). Cuba remained the least efficient DMU during the 1995-2016 period [55,56]. ...
The impacts of the tourism sector on the overall eco-efficiency of 22 Latin America and Caribbean countries from 1995 to 2016 were examined. A Data Envelopment Analysis was used to calculate the overall eco-efficiency of each country (considering the CO2 emissions as the input and the GDP as the output). Posteriorly, a Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag model was applied to analyse the impacts of tourism arrivals, tourism capital investment, and direct tourism contribution to employment on eco-efficiency. The results indicated that tourism arrivals decrease these countries eco-efficiency, both in the short- and long-run. Contrariwise, tourism capital investment and direct tourism contribution to employment seem to promote eco-efficiency in the long-run. These findings recommend that policymakers should respect these destinations carrying capacity and, simultaneously, encourage investments in sustainable tourism projects and productive employment to all.
Cuba, a small island in the Caribbean Sea with a total land area of 109.884 km 2 and a population of around 11.423 million, has no significant proved oil, gas and coal reserves. Also use, in a very limited manner, some of the four main renewable energy sources available in the country for electricity production, generating just 50,1 GW/h or 4,04% of the total electricity consumed in 2015 (20.288 GW/h). In 2016, electricity consumption fell to 15.182 GW/h; this means a reduction of 25% in comparison to 2015. In 2016, the participation of renewable energy sources in the energy mix of the country reached 4,65%. The different renewable energy sources available in the country are hydropower, wind power, solar photovoltaic, and bioenergy. In 2015, out of Cuba's total 566 MW of renewable energy capacity installed, 83% of the total was in the bioenergy sector. In 2016, the renewable energy capacity installed in the country reached 642 MW. According to the decision adopted by the Cuban government, the participation of renewable energy sources in the energy mix of the country should reach 24% in 2030, an increase of almost 20% compared to the level reported in 2016. Among the different renewable energy sources available in the country, solar energy is one of the main contributors to the national energy system, and also one of the leading supplier of energy to independent users all over the country.
It is certain that energy production and, particularly the generation and sustained growth of electricity, constitute indispensable elements for the economic and social progress for any country. Energy, undoubtedly, constitutes the motive force of civilization and it determines, to a high degree, the level of the future economic and social development of a country. To ensure adequate economic and social growth it is vital, that all available energy sources are used in the most efficient and economic manner for electricity generation.
Electricity generation using fossil fuels is a major and growing contributor to the emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, gas that produces a significant change in the world climate. These changes are affecting, in one way or another, almost all countries in all regions. However, renewable energy sources for the generation of electricity, including the use of nuclear energy need not produce CO2 and would have no negative impact on the world climate. However, all approved plans for the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation in the coming years are under deep revision in several countries after the nuclear accident in the Fukushima nuclear power plant located in Japan in March 2011. As a consequence of this accident, some countries have already decided to suspend expansion of their current nuclear power programs; others have suspended the introduction of a nuclear power program for electricity generation, while others have decided to shut down all operating nuclear power plants in the coming years.
One of the main problems that the world is facing is how to satisfy the increase in electricity demand using all available energy sources in the most efficient manner and without increasing CO2 emission.
The preparation of a national energy policy, in which priorities and preferences are identified, should be one of the main governmental responsibilities. Every country’s energy mix should involve a range of national preferences and priorities in order to satisfy the foreseable increase in electricity demand without affecting the climate. These national policies and strategies should balance between expected energy shortages, environmental quality, energy security, energy cost, public attitudes, safety and security, and production and service capabilities.
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