A renewable energy initiative designed to promote clean energy in Cuba and Haiti has been largely successful, according to the project’s facilitators.
Backed by the EU, RENet, the Renewable Energies Education Network, seeks to grow understanding of clean energy and advance UN Sustainable Development Goal number 7: to make clean and affordable energy a reality for all by 2030. It does so by placing education at the heart of the process.
For the past four years 70% of the programme – led by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) – in relation to Cuba and Haiti has been delivered. Postgraduate level qualifications in green energy, practical education via hands-on workshops and academic exchanges between participating institutions are some of the aspects that have been taken forward.
And these two countries need firm foundations like this if sustainable energy is to make an impact. While 96% of Cubans have access to electricity, a paltry 5% comes from clean sources. Haiti fares even worse in the sustainability stakes – and just 36% of of its people have access to electricity.
