TECNICA ITALIANA-Italian Journal of Engineering Science

Vol. 64, No. 1, March, 2020, pp. 103-108

Journal homepage: http://iieta.org/journals/ti-ijes

Current Trends in Cuba on the Environmental Impact and Sustainable Development

Yanán Camaraza-Medina

Technical Sciences Faculty, Universidad de Matanzas, 44440, Cuba

Corresponding Author Email: ycamaraza1980@yahoo.com

https://doi.org/10.18280/ti-ijes.640116 ABSTRACT

Received: 13 November 2019 This technical note shows a summary of the current trends in Cuba on the environmental
Accepted: 30 December 2019 impact and sustainable development in the last five years. In this study, the country is
sectioned in four regions, taking into account socioeconomic characteristics and similitude
Keywords: in conditions of development. In this paper, several elements are analyzed that have
environmental impact, current trends in influence directly to the environmental impact, as, emissions of gases greenhouse effect,
Cuba, gas emissions generation of electric power, water consumption, analysis of the air quality, implementation
of renewable sources of energy, investments to mitigate the environmental impact, among
others. The data set used in this material, was obtained from the report provided by the
National Office of Statistic (ONEI). In this study is omitted the special municipality Isla
de la Juventud.

1. INTRODUCTION the installation of 1650 MW of power based in renewable

energy, (solar, wind and biomass), which represents 24 percent
Cuba is a developing country, than even as the rest of the of the national energy matrix. of these, 875 MW correspond to
world receives the effects of the globalization and climatic 25 Biomass Power Plant (CEB) projects.
change. At the present time, in Cuba it is worked up for the Recently, it was established law 124/2017, for the sake of
benefit of the sustainable development, guided to the reduction protecting the subterranean and superficial waters; besides,
of gases of greenhouse effect, to the protection of waters and there are several research projects and sustainable
natural resources and to the proliferation of the use of the development, as they are, life, live coasts and energy
renewable sources of energy. For the purpose, the Cuban efficiency.
government has authorized the investment of over 2310 In this technical note, is provided a brief overview of the
million of Cuban’s pesos (MCP) in the last five years for state of generation and consumption of electricity in Cuba in
works of environmental protection and mitigation [1]. the last five years. The study provides a focalization of each of
Although previously studies were conducted on the use of the carriers for each of the country's fundamental regions. A
electricity in Cuba, in none of these was considered the local relevant element to date does not have a similar material on
effect of production, consumption and CO 2 emissions the energy situation, the environmental impact and sustainable
associated with it, (not including the adjacent keys). The development in the country and the future prospects of this
production of electricity on the island of Cuba is highly issue.
dependent on fossil fuels. The fall of the socialistic block Additionally, several elements are analyzed that have
produced a severe crisis in the energy carriers in the country, influence directly to the environmental impact, as, emissions
since the main source of import of energy carriers was the of gases greenhouse effect, generation of electric power, water
Soviet Union [2]. consumption, analysis of the air quality, implementation of
In 2006, Cuba began a management of energy resuscitation, renewable sources of energy, investments to mitigate the
known as the "energy revolution". One of the elements environmental impact, among others.
associated with it is the entry into operation of power
generation plants based on several units of low power
generators, known in the country as an emerging generation. 2. METHODS AND VALIDATION
In the last five years, the reanimation of the national
economy has generated a sharp increase in electricity 2.1 Brief description of the object of study
consumption; however, the national energy infrastructure has
not been perfected. The degree of recapitalizations of the (1) The island of Cuba is made up of three fundamental
existing power plants has required that the emerging regions, the occident, centre and orient. The Cuban capital
generation has been in charge of covering the new electricity (Havana) is considered in the present study as a fourth region,
requirements. taking into account the conditions of very high population
The Cuban state has undertaken the task of encouraging the density that it presents. Figure 1 provides in detail the location
use of renewable energy sources; however, the increase in of each of the provinces that make up the island of Cuba, in
generation with these sources does not compete with the rise Table 1 the provinces that make up each region are detailed,
in energy carrier needs [3]. while, in the Table 2 is given a summary of the demographics’
The Cuban state has planned an investment that will allow distribution in Cuba for each region of study [4].

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 Figure 1. Location of the regional divisions of Cuba

Table 1. Location of the regional divisions of Cuba The data given in the tables 5 and 6, correspond to the global
consumption of water, that is than include activities on
Region Province members industrial purpose, agriculture and human consumption. In the
Occident Pinar del Rio, Mayabeque+Artemisa and Matanzas Table 7 is proportionate a global summary of the water
Centre Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Santi Spiritus, Ciego de Avila consumption in Cuba by each activity in the studied period
and Camaguey
Orient Las Tunas, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín and Table 3. Summary of the electricity consumption in the
Guantánamo
analyzed period, (in GWh/year)
Habana La Habana
Region 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Table 2. Demographics distribution in Cuba for region Occident 4043 4095 4148 4212 4284
Centre 4405 4447 4489 4532 4542
Populousness Orient 4250 4349 4450 4482 4511
Region Inhabitants Surface (km2)
(inh/km2) Habana 4117 4185 4254 4440 4490
Occident 2270520 28747 79 Cuba 16815 17076 17341 17666 17827
Centre 2870880 38739 74.1
Orient 3950830 36245 109
Table 4. Summary of the electricity average consumption by
Habana 2256650 751 3004.9
Cuba 11348880 104482 108.6
inhabitants in the analyzed period (in kWh/year)

Region 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

2.2 Analysis of the consumption of electricity and water in
Occident 1780.6 1803.6 1826.9 1855.1 1886.8
Cuba Centre 1534.4 1549 1563.6 1578.6 1582.1
Orient 1075.7 1100.8 1126.3 1134.4 1141.8
In the last five years, the consumption of electricity has Habana 1824.4 1854.5 1885.1 1967.5 1989.7
experienced an increasing tendency in Cuba, this is Cuba 1481.6 1504.6 1528 1556.6 1570.8
fundamentally, for the incorporation thousands of new clients
to the National Electro Energetic Systems (SEN) that recently Table 5. Summary of the global consumption of water in the
have been benefited with the national programs of analyzed period (in millions of m3/year)
electrification, and the majority is located in orient zone. In the
Table 3 show a summary of the electricity consumption in the Region 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
analyzed period (in GWh/year) for each region of study, while Occident 1430 1441 1468 1494 1407
in the Table 4 is given the average consumption by inhabitants Centre 1768 1781 1792 1808 1741
(in kWh/year). Orient 2538 2575 2598 2618 2458
The water consumption in Cuba is regulated according to Habana 1444 1489 1552 1555 1412
the standard NC-973-2013. The global crisis of water has Cuba 7180 7286 7410 7475 7018
exerted its impact on Cuba, for this reason, at this moment
exist a total of 24 plants in operation to make sea water Table 6. Summary of the water average consumption by
drinkable, (fundamentally in the orient zone), with a inhabitants in the analyzed period (in m3/year)
processing capability of 0.05 m3/s each. The application of the
law 124/2017 has established a control mechanism on the Region 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
water use, for such motive the water consumption in the year Occident 629.9 634.6 646.7 658.2 619.9
2018 is reduced with respect to the tendency to the Centre 615.7 620.3 624.3 629.9 606.5
consumption shown in prior years. In the Table 5 is given the Orient 642.3 651.8 657.5 662.6 622.2
global consumption of water in Cuba (in millions of m 3) for Habana 639.8 660 687.7 689.1 625.8
each region in the studied period, while, in the Table 6 is given Cuba 631.9 641.7 654.1 660 618.6
the average consumption (in m3 per inhabitants) in each region.

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 Table 7. Summary of water removal by destinations This increase in electricity generation produces a clear
increase in CO2 emissions. Figure 3 shows the growth of
Water consumption emissions associated with the generation of electricity in Cuba
Destiny (in millions of m3/year) [9, 10].
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Gross freshwater extraction 7567 7919 7805 8024 7348
Water returned without using 387 633 395 549 348
Net freshwater withdrawal 7180 7286 7410 7475 7000
By industry water supply 1956 2627 2151 1773 1915
By other users 5224 4659 5259 5702 5085
Superficial freshwater extraction 4606 4573 4665 4558 4271
By industry water supply 793 1461 1006 567 830
By other users 3813 3112 3609 3991 3441
Groundwater extraction 2574 2713 2795 2917 2729
By industry water supply 1163 1166 1145 1206 1085
By other users 1411 1547 1650 1711 1644

2.3 Analysis of the generation of electricity in Cuba

Figure 3. Growth of CO2 emissions due to the generation of
In Cuba, the electricity generation is distributed throughout electricity in Cuba
the country, although, the occident zone is the biggest
producer of generation volume (approximately 40% of the
total), however, it turns out to be the one with the lowest
energy consumption.
The main sources of electricity generation in Cuba are:

1- Fuel Power Plants (FPP)

2- Energas Power Plant (GPP)
3- Fuel emerging generation (FEG)
4- Diesel emerging generation (DEG)
5- Biomass (B)
6- Renewable energy (RE)

Power plants are of two types, the first use liquid fuel and Figure 4. Percentage of participation in the electricity matrix
are based on the Rankine cycle, currently in the country there in Cuba
are 10 units, while the second type using gas turbines for the
generation of electric power, currently have two units, one in
Mayabeque and one in Matanzas.
The distributed generation considers the sites in which one
or more generators with individual powers up to 1.5 MW are
located, which consume fuel oil or diesel.
The main source of electricity generation in Cuba with
biomass is the sugar industry, while the renewable sources
used are three fundamental types, solar photovoltaic, wind and
hydraulic [5, 6].
The consumption of electric energy in Cuba has shown a
clear rise in recent years, a graphic representation of the
consumption of the last four years is provided in Figure 2, and
it can be found that it follows a linear growing trend [7, 8].
Figure 5. Percentage of participation of power plants in the
electric matrix in Cuba

Figure 2. Growth of annual energy consumption in Cuba

Figure 6. Percentage of participation of the emerging
generation in the electricity matrix in Cuba

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 each of them, the percentage value represented by each
individual source of the total generation delivered in the last 4
years is detailed. The accelerated growth of the presence in the
energy matrix of the emerging generation can be verified.
In Cuba, consumption and electricity generation are not
distributed equally in each of the regions. When establishing
the average energy demand per inhabitant, it is found that in
Havana, it turns out to be almost twice as high as in the Orient.
In the case of generation, the Occident zone is the one that
provides the highest average per customer; however, it turns
out to be the second lowest consumption. In Figures 8 to 11
consumption and the average generation per inhabitant are
plotted for each of the regions of Cuba.
Figure 7. Percentage of participation of the renewable energy
In order to apply the given correlations in the Figures 10 to
n the electricity matrix in Cuba
11, the variable x refers to the year to analyze, taking the year
2015 as year 1.

Figure 8. Consumption and the average generation per

inhabitant in Habana
Figure 11. Consumption and the average generation per
inhabitant in Orient

3. BRIEF ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL

CURRENT STATE OF CUBA

3.1 Summary of the main actions of mitigation executed in

Cuba

At the present time, in Cuba it is worked up for the benefit

of the sustainable development, guided to the reduction of
gases of greenhouse effect, to the protection of waters and
natural resources and to the proliferation of the use of the
Figure 9. Consumption and the average generation per renewable sources of energy. For the purpose, the Cuban
inhabitant in Occident government has authorized the investment of over 2310
million of Cuban’s pesos (110 million USD) in the last five
years for works of environmental protection and mitigation. In
the Table 8 is given in more details of this investment for
environmental protection in Cuba [11].

Table 8. Expenses for environmental protection in Cuba,

(in MCP)

Environmental sector 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Waters 226.4 239.4 243.9 245.7 258.4
Soils 17.5 18.1 18.5 23.6 32.2
Atmosphere 49.9 56.6 61.1 64.7 67.6
Forest resources 65.5 74.7 77.4 122.1 126.6
Solid resources 20.8 13.8 12.4 10.4 24.7
Figure 10. Consumption and the average generation per Others 24.7 26 22 3.5 64.6
inhabitant in Centre Total 404.8 428.6 435.3 470 574.1

The individual participation of each generation source in the In the Table 9 are given the expenses for water protection
production of electricity in Cuba is given in Figures 4 to 9. In by provinces, in MCP.

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 Correlating the average cost of water protection and its where,
average consumption, it is obtained that the best fit is given by
an exponential function, with an approximation coefficient
(R2=0,953), being described by [12, 13]:
(
A = Ln (CO2 )  SO2
0,1
) 0,1
+ 0,252 (3)

GUsoagua = 0,145  e 0,0596 (WR ) (1) B = Log 

(
 CH  NO  (CO )0,04 − (SO )2
4 X 2 ) 
2

(4)
 N 2O 
In the Eq. (1), GUsoagua is the financial expense associated
In Eqns. (3) and (4), the volumes of polluting gases are
to the mitigation of the environmental impact, in $/m 3 and WR given in Gg.
is the yearly consumption of water, in m 3.

Table 9. Expenses for water protection by province

4. CONCLUSIONS
Province 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
In the last five years, in Cuba there is a clear tendency to
Pinar del Río 9.3 9.4 8.7 10.3 15.8
increase the presence of the emerging generation within the
Artemisa 1.1 0.8 3.4 2.1 16.6
national energy matrix. An unequal distribution of energy
La Habana 49.2 49.4 47.2 53.3 66.5
carriers between the different regions of the country was
Mayabeque 1.2 0.2 0.6 0.8 5.7
shown, being established that Habana consumes almost twice
Matanzas 15.5 14.7 65.6 47.5 15.6
the average energy carriers per inhabitant than the rest of the
Villa Clara 15.1 16.2 8.2 13.4 29.3
country, and accompanied by a low rate of electricity
Cienfuegos 3.1 6.5 6.2 4.9 6.9
generation.
Santi Spíritus 5 10.8 6.8 6.4 5.4
In this paper, several elements are analyzed that have
Ciego de Ávila 4.2 6.1 7.6 9.2 9.5
influence directly to the environmental impact, as, emissions
Camagüey 8.1 7.9 7.8 9.6 9.7
Las Tunas 4 10.7 8.7 7.3 5
of gases greenhouse effect, generation of electric power, water
Holguín 40.4 35.4 40.3 34.3 30.8
consumption, analysis of the air quality, implementation of
Granma 11.3 13.6 15.5 17.5 10.6
renewable sources of energy, investments to mitigate the
Santiago de Cuba 48.3 47.6 8.4 18.8 18.4
environmental impact
Guantánamo 9.8 10 8.8 10.1 11.1 The application of the law 124/2017 has established a
Total 226.4 239.4 240.9 245.7 258.4 control mechanism on the water use, for such motive the water
consumption in the year 2018 is reduced with respect to the
The uses of Eq. (1) allows verifying that the average cost of tendency to the consumption shown in prior years.
Two expressions of calculation were developed for the
mitigation required by each m3 of water round the intervals
analysis of the costs of mitigation by emissions of the
given in the bibliographic analysis [5], however, due to the
critical state of some local basins. the values determined with greenhouse effect gases, as well as for the water uses.
Eq. (1) can provide to be a 60 percent smaller than the real
value.
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