The head of the UN’s Environment Program has said that Cuba has managed to solve it’s crippling energy shortages without sacrificing their long-term commitment to the promotion and usage of environmentally friendly fuels.

Cuba has suffered from energy shortages as recently as 2004. It’s electric grid still relies heavily on gas-flare reactors which are very wasteful, and diesel generators which are very polluting. However, the government have taken steps towards renewable energy sources, including wind and solar power, and turning sugar cane into ethanol.

Under Cuba’s current economic conditions, it is admirable how they have manage to solve their energy crisis – a crisis which had the potential to spark an economic collapse due to up to 16 hours of electricity cuts at a time. The power cuts in 2004 caused blackouts, leaving a population without air conditioning in the middle of summer, no fans and no way to refrigerate food.

The government responded with an “energy revolution”. This involved overhauling some of the antiquated electricity grid along with some energy conservation drivers. Fidel Castro appeared nearly daily on the TV to explain what his government was doing to help solve the crisis and government workers walked from door to door in many places, offering to replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient ones instead.

Although they have come a very long way in a short space of time, there is still more for them to work on. Gas reactors still throw out plumes of thick, black smoke and many of the country’s vehicles still use leaded gasoline and diesel, filling the air will pollutants.

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