The Cuban government assures that its solar parks are prepared to withstand hurricanes

Amid a growing energy crisis in Cuba, the Electric Union (UNE) assured that the solar parks installed in the country are designed to withstand hurricanes of high intensity, even Category 4, with winds of up to 228 km/h.

The statement was published on the wall of the of the state entity, where data from the book “Photovoltaic Energy for Cuba” by Professor Daniel Stolik, regarded as a pioneer in this field, is cited.

According to UNE, the solar modules installed on the Island have undergone wind and hail resistance tests conducted by the manufacturers themselves, and they have an estimated lifespan of 25 years.

Additionally, the publication notes that they are strategically distributed throughout the national territory, which, in theory, prevents everyone from being simultaneously affected by an extreme weather event.

Among the factors that would increase their resilience are the low height of the panels, their tilt towards the south, the row design that restrains the wind, the presence of natural obstacles, and the terrain’s relief.

Despite these supposed advantages, citizens’ reactions on social media were swift.

The comments on the post were filled with doubts, criticisms, and irony, reflecting the distrust accumulated from years of unfulfilled promises.

“I’m going to save this for when the first banana breeze comes, and they themselves say that the panels were affected by the winds,” wrote a user.

Another internet user questioned: “What happened to the solar park when the cyclone hit Mariel? According to the TV, 50% was damaged and over a million dollars was needed to repair it.”

There were also those who pointed out the contrast with international standards.

An engineer pointed out that in countries like the United States, solar parks that withstand hurricanes are built with deep concrete foundations and reinforced structures, elements whose quality and presence in Cuban parks are in doubt.

The debate follows the recent inauguration of the La Barbarita photovoltaic park in Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, right in the middle of a series of blackouts.

Yulié Salgado Barrizonte, the construction project director, then stated that the Chinese system used is not designed to be dismantled in the face of extreme weather events, and that in previous experiences, the damage after hurricanes like Ian was “almost nil.”

Despite these official statements, the energy infrastructure of the Island continues to be in full collapse: obsolete thermoelectric plants, lack of maintenance, and fuel shortages characterize the situation.

Photovoltaic generation, for its part, only accounts for about 5% of the national energy matrix, and its main limitation is the lack of storage systems, which prevents the nighttime use of electricity generated during the day.

The ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel has promised a substantial improvement in energy capacity with the installation of new solar parks, expecting 500 MW for the first half of this year and 1,200 MW by the end of 2025.

The official goal is to achieve 2,000 MW of solar energy by 2030.

In recent months, the inauguration of several photovoltaic parks has been announced amidst the severe energy crisis in the country.

However, on the ground, the population continues to suffer from prolonged power outages and limited concrete information about the tangible benefits of these investments.

“I don’t care if a hurricane takes them away, after all, there’s never any electricity,” summed up a user, encapsulating the feelings of many Cubans regarding what they see as yet another promise without visible results.

Frequently asked questions about the resilience of Cuban solar parks to hurricanes and the energy crisis in Cuba