Cuba Expands Solar Capacity Amid Severe Energy Crisis

The Government of Cuba is rapidly expanding its solar energy capacity to mitigate a deepening energy crisis marked by near-daily blackouts and acute fuel shortages. Since January 2024, the state has constructed 41 midsize and 18 smaller-scale solar parks, with a long-term goal of establishing 92 midsize parks by 2028. Solar energy now provides approximately 10% of the nation's power, an increase from 3% in early 2023.

This expansion is heavily supported by the Government of China, which donated 320 megawatts of panels and provided $117 million in equipment in 2025. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz stated that these projects were partially financed using nickel revenues.

Despite the increase in capacity, the energy crisis persists. The situation deteriorated after the United States government blocked nearly all energy shipments to Havana in late January 2026, compounding a collapse in crude oil imports from Venezuela. The aging electrical grid and a lack of battery storage prevent the country from fully utilizing new solar sources, though the new parks have prevented blackouts from becoming even more severe.