|25 August 2016|
Cuba
A new collaboration between the Cuban government and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) aims to help the island nation deliver on its ambitions to generate a quarter of its power from renewable sources by 2030.
The Cuban government plans to invest US $3.5 billion in onshore wind, solar photovoltaic and biomass power generation to reach its target.
And the tie-up between the government and IRENA kicks off this week with a three-day workshop in Havana to facilitate the exchange of knowledge between Cuban technical experts and international planners and operators.
Cuban Minister of Energy and Mines, Alfredo López Valdés said, “The purpose of starting an exchange with IRENA becomes real. This exchange will not conclude with this event and we are sure that it will consolidate the traditional friendship between IRENA and the Cuban institutions. The political will of our government to keep the fight against climate change: a struggle that is a moral obligation and an essential opportunity for a sustainable development. This is reflected in the national policy approved in June 2014 for the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency.”
It is hoped that this workshop – which ends on 26 August – will help identify additional areas of support which can facilitate renewable energy deployment in Cuba.
“Most island states are largely dependent on imported fossil fuels for the majority of their energy needs and thus vulnerable to volatile global fuel prices and high fuel transport costs,” said IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin. “Accelerating domestic renewable energy production will not only improve energy security and strengthen economic development but also reduce emissions that contribute negatively to public health and the changing climate. IRENA looks forward to working closely with Cuba to advance the deployment of renewable energy in the island and accelerate its transition to a sustainable energy future” Mr Amin added.
