Cuba to allow private import of photovoltaic solar energy systems

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Non-commercial imports of solar energy systems have been exempted from customs duties by the island’s Ministry of Finance and Prices, according to a report by the Cuban News Agency (ACN).

The requirements for connecting the system in the private sector to the national power grid include compliance with the voltages established at its interconnection point as well as with electrical safety regulations.

A certification must be issued by the state electric company attesting that the system is ready to be interconnected to the National Electric System and a power purchase and sale contract must be signed with that entity, among other requirements.

Cuba receives an average solar radiation of over 1,800 kilowatts per m2/year, the reason why specialists in this field consider that these emissions could turn the country into an energy power, based on the use of renewable sources.

The Cuban government is betting on renewable energies with the goal that by 2030 these sources will inject 2,334 megawatts into the national system from industrial biogas and bioelectric plants, solar panels, wind farms and small hydroelectric plants.

In addition to bioelectric plants, the Cuban plan includes solar and wind farms, along with the installation of solar heaters, photovoltaic solar modules and the replacement of millions of traditional light bulbs with LED lights, among other actions.

With this plan the island seeks to reduce energy dependence on subsidized crude oil from Venezuela – its main supplier – which has dwindled in recent years due to the economic crisis in the South American country.