While China remains the primary supplier of renewable hardware to Havana, American solar cells and modules are filling a critical void left by a lack of traditional hydrocarbon imports. This transition is born of necessity rather than policy, as the U.S. naval blockade restricts fuel shipments, forcing households and businesses to seek alternative power sources to maintain basic operations. John Kavulich, president of the US-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, noted the irony of Cuba becoming an export market for U.S. renewable firms, particularly given the current political climate in Washington regarding green energy.

Despite the rapid adoption of solar, the infrastructure faces a significant hurdle: the absence of utility-scale battery storage. President Miguel Diaz-Canel reports that 144 solar installations now account for 20% of the nation’s electricity needs, yet these systems remain vulnerable to fluctuations in sunlight. Jorge Pinon of the University of Texas Energy Institute points out that this expansion lacks the necessary storage to provide consistent power. Because U.S. sanctions prohibit the export of battery storage equipment to Cuba, local operators are left with few options to stabilize their grid. This technological gap mirrors challenges seen in Europe, where a lack of storage has similarly undermined the profitability of solar-heavy energy markets.