Despite severe fuel shortages and nationwide blackouts, Cuba is increasingly relying on Chinese solar power, battery storage and electric vehicles to keep the lights on.
Chinese renewable energy is becoming Cuba’s lifeline
An ice-cold beer during a FIFA World Cup match might seem impossible in a country suffering through its worst energy crisis in decades. Yet for Cubans with rooftop solar panels, battery storage systems and off-grid refrigerators, it was entirely possible.
Despite the fuel shortages that followed President Donald Trump’s decision six months ago to cut off oil supplies from Venezuela, Cuba has not collapsed. Instead, the island has relied on resilience, improvisation and, above all, Chinese-backed renewable energy to keep homes powered and essential services running.
Trump predicted Cuba would collapse, but the island adapted
“The Cuban regime is about to fall at any moment,” Trump told reporters on Jan. 4, one day after taking control of Venezuela’s oil production, a critical source of fuel for Cuba.
The move pushed the island deeper into an unprecedented Cuba energy crisis. Massive blackouts have disrupted transportation, businesses and everyday life. Yet rather than surrendering to the pressure, many Cubans have turned to small-scale solar systems and battery storage to reduce their dependence on the unreliable electric grid.
Even while tightening pressure on Havana, the Trump administration authorized limited fuel exports to private Cuban businesses and approved an initial $100 million humanitarian aid package, highlighting Washington’s continued influence over the island.
A recent New York Times report illustrates how Cubans are adapting. Many have traded their fuel-hungry 1950s American classic cars for Chinese-made electric motorcycles and electric rickshaws. Families increasingly import lithium batteries to power televisions, refrigerators and fans during outages while installing solar panels on rooftops and even directly onto vehicles.
According to the report, one of the island’s most sought-after products today is the portable lithium battery. Rechargeable in just a few hours, these systems provide backup electricity for essential household appliances during prolonged outages. Most are imported from China and sold through social media, although many Cubans receive them as gifts from relatives living abroad because of their high cost.
Electric tricycles replace Cuba’s iconic vintage cars
According to the Associated Press, Cuba’s iconic American classic cars are steadily disappearing from the streets, replaced by compact Chinese-made electric tricycles.
These vehicles have become essential transportation for hundreds of thousands of Cubans coping with chronic fuel shortages. Some owners have even installed solar panels on the roof of their tricycles, allowing the batteries to recharge while driving.
Solar power is transforming Cuba’s energy mix
Cuba now operates 54 government-owned solar parks, most of them commissioned since 2025 with significant Chinese support.
The country’s solar rollout has expanded rapidly. According to government estimates, solar power now provides approximately 10% of Cuba’s electricity, compared with just 3% at the beginning of 2025.
Chinese exports of solar panels to Cuba underscore the speed of that transformation. According to Ember, shipments climbed from roughly $3 million in 2023 to $117 million in 2025.
The biggest driver behind this expansion is an agreement between Havana and Beijing to build 92 solar parks by 2028. Together, the projects are expected to add 2 gigawatts of generating capacity, enough to supply electricity to more than 1.5 million homes.
Last year, Cuba also imported $56 million worth of battery energy storage systems from China, according to the Financial Times. In January alone, additional battery shipments worth $15 million reportedly reached the island.
Even so, the country’s outdated transmission network remains a major obstacle. Aging infrastructure continues to limit how much new solar generation can be integrated into the grid, slowing efforts to fully overcome the Cuba energy crisis.
China is expanding its influence across the Caribbean
China’s investment in Cuba’s clean energy transition reflects a much broader regional strategy.
According to an analysis by Eurasia Review, Chinese exports of green energy technologies to the Caribbean increased by more than 570% between 2020 and 2024. Beijing is financing and building solar parks, supplying photovoltaic panels and battery storage systems, and training local technicians not only in Cuba but also in Jamaica, Guyana and Barbados.
China’s support is also driven by strategic interests. Expanding clean energy exports helps absorb excess domestic manufacturing capacity, promotes Chinese technology standards overseas and strengthens Beijing’s geopolitical influence in a region where several governments still maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
At the same time, analysts warn that growing dependence on Chinese equipment, particularly solar inverters, could expose Caribbean nations to potential cybersecurity risks.
