Cuba is in the grip of a deepening energy crisis. Rolling blackouts, lasting up to 16 hours a day, have trapped residents in high-rise buildings in Havana, with elevators out of service and water pumps silenced. The grid, largely built with Soviet-era technology, is collapsing under the weight of aging infrastructure, fuel shortages, and economic sanctions. Meanwhile, UK energy firms are exploring investment opportunities in the Caribbean, eyeing Cuba’s potential for solar and wind projects.
Dr. Helena Vance, Science & Climate Correspondent, reports that the situation is a stark reminder of the physical realities of energy dependence. “Cuba’s grid is a relic of the Cold War,” she said. “It was designed for a different era, with centralised power plants burning imported oil. Now, with fuel imports slashed due to sanctions and the global energy transition under way, the system is failing.”
The blackouts have severe human consequences. Elderly residents in high-rise apartments face a ‘vertical prison’ as lifts stop working, making it impossible to leave their homes. Hospitals rely on backup generators, but fuel for these is also scarce. The government has admitted that power generation capacity is barely half of peak demand.
In response, UK energy companies are reportedly in talks with Cuban officials about investing in renewable energy. “The science is clear,” said Dr. Vance. “Solar and wind are now cheaper than fossil fuels in many parts of the world. For a sun-drenched island like Cuba, solar is not just a clean option, it is an economic imperative.” However, such investments face hurdles. The US embargo restricts foreign companies from using US dollars or technology in Cuba, and the island’s energy infrastructure needs a complete overhaul.
The crisis is also a microcosm of a global challenge: how to transition aging fossil-fuel systems to renewables while ensuring energy security. “Every country faces this at some point,” Dr. Vance noted. “Cuba’s collapse is the canary in the coal mine. Without investment and political will, other regions could face similar cascading failures.”
The UK’s interest in Caribbean energy markets is part of a broader strategy to expand renewable exports. Energy firms cite Cuba’s high solar insolation hours and wind potential as attractive. But for now, Cubans endure the blackouts, a reminder that energy transitions are not just policy debates but matters of daily survival.
