Cuba to build wind farms with foreign cash

Cuba to build wind farms with foreign cash
July 13, 2015 12:28am
AAP

CUBA plans to build seven wind farms financed by foreign investors under
a program aimed at developing renewable energy sources in the medium
term, Energy and Mines Minister Alfredo Lopez say.

THE project is part of an effort by the island to generate 24 per cent
of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, with officials
planning to attract more than $US600 million ($A809.06 million) in
foreign investment.
Cuba plans to build six other wind farms using different sources of
funds as it boosts clean energy generation.

Slightly more than four per cent of the island's electricity is
generated using renewable sources today, the official AIN news agency said.

The 13 new clean energy facilities will be added to a fleet of four
existing wind farms, which have 12 MW of generating capacity and are
located in different parts of the island.

Increased use of wind, solar and hydro-electric power plants will help
Cuba reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and save about $US780 million
annually, Lopez told the National Assembly.

Several other foreign investment projects in the solar photovoltaic
sector were being evaluated, Energy and Mines Ministry officials said.

Cuban officials did not identify the country of origin of the investors
in the wind farms, but Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Mario Giro last
week said the island's government was evaluating several energy
projects, including the construction of three wind farms, with Italian
companies.

Spain, for its part, has expressed interest in investing in Cuba's
renewable energy industry and several delegations, including one led by
Industry, Energy and Tourism Minister Jose Manuel Soria, traveled to the
island recently.

Cuba's renewable energy industry currently operates 10,595 solar water
heaters, 9,343 wind turbines, 827 biogas plants and 169 hydro-electric
power plants, as well as solar panels and solar power plants.

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