From solar to charcoal, Cubans look for alternatives amid outages and fuel shortages

CubaFrom solar to charcoal, Cubans look for alternatives amid outages and fuel shortagesSome Cubans who’ve been able to buy solar panels say it’s a game changer, but most rely on other alternatives including charcoal, despite health concerns and the steep cost.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Solar panel specialists lift a panel onto the rooftop of a multi-family building in Matanzas, Cuba, on April 13.AFP via Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 23, 2026, 12:00 PM EDTBy Orlando Matos and Carmen SesinHAVANA — Cuba’s energy crisis was taking a toll on Guillermo Sánchez’s business. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.He invested in a gasoline-operated generator in 2024, after electric cables fell near Casablanca, the gym he opened 13 years ago, hindering his ability to get electricity. But by last year, gasoline was in short supply, so it wasn’t a reliable solution during the country’s constant blackouts. That’s when Sánchez, his wife and his mother chipped in for a solar panel system. It cost almost $5,000, something well out of reach for most Cubans, who struggle to buy food and basic necessities. “The blackouts would begin at 11 a.m. and last until 7 p.m. or 8 p.m., so the solar panels have worked wonderfully for us,” Sánchez said. “Once we got solar panels, we were able to set the gym schedule without any disruptions.”But only a small percentage of Cubans have this backup system of solar energy; those who can afford solar panels are business owners like Sánchez or Cubans who have family overseas who send them money.Amid Cuba’s economic and energy crisis, the government recently announced plans to move completely to renewable energy by 2050. Though some experts have questioned the feasibility of achieving this goal, the country has taken substantial steps with China’s help in installing solar panels and solar farms and has built several solar-powered charging stations.Solar pan...