Cuba has transformed its electricity system in just 12 months, increasing solar power from 5.8 per cent to over 20 per cent of total generation as the country races to escape dependence on oil imports now blocked by US sanctions.
The Caribbean nation connected 49 new solar parks to its grid between early 2025 and early 2026, adding more than 1,000 megawatts of capacity with equipment and financing from China. The expansion represents one of the fastest renewable energy transitions ever achieved by a developing country.
The rapid expansion would have been impossible without sustained support from Beijing. China is committed to building 92 solar parks by 2028 with a combined capacity of approximately 2,000 megawatts, nearly matching Cuba’s entire current fossil fuel generation capacity.
Beyond large solar farms, China donated approximately 70 tons of power generator parts and committed to installing 10,000 photovoltaic systems for isolated homes and critical facilities including maternity wards and clinics.
If Cuba sustains its installation pace, achieves adequate battery storage and maintains Chinese support through 2028, it could reach energy independence that renders oil blockades economically irrelevant.
