Cuba Receives 5,000 Solar PV Systems From China Amid Renewable Energy Push

Cuba has received 5,000 solar photovoltaic systems from China as the country seeks to expand renewable energy use amid severe fuel shortages and frequent electricity blackouts.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel thanked the Chinese government and people for the support, saying the donation will strengthen the country’s efforts to transform its energy system. The equipment was handed over during an official ceremony in Havana through the China International Development Cooperation Agency. It is the second major clean energy donation from China, following an earlier delivery of solar equipment late last year.

The newly supplied systems have greater capacity and storage than the previous units. Each system can generate 3.6 kilowatts of power and includes 14.3 kilowatt-hours of battery storage. The systems will be distributed across all 169 municipalities in Cuba, with priority given to rural homes that remain outside or have limited access to the national electricity grid.

The donated systems will also support essential public services. Healthcare facilities, emergency medical stations, childcare centres, orphanages and banking branches are among the institutions expected to receive the solar equipment.

At the same time, Cuba has introduced new tax and customs measures to encourage wider adoption of renewable energy technologies. The Ministry of Finance and Prices has announced a one-year exemption from sales tax on wholesale and retail transactions involving clean energy technologies.

The government has also removed customs duties on several imported renewable energy products. These include solar water heaters, solar pumps, small wind turbines, biogas equipment and solar-powered cooling systems.

Businesses and individuals installing renewable energy systems for self-consumption or supplying electricity to the national grid may also receive income tax exemptions for up to eight years. The exemption period will be linked to the expected recovery period of the investment.

Cuban authorities expect the combination of international assistance and domestic incentives to accelerate renewable energy deployment. The measures are aimed at increasing solar power capacity, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and improving energy security.

With electricity shortages continuing to affect daily life, Cuba is increasingly turning to solar power and energy storage as tools to build a more reliable and resilient national electricity system.