A free solar-powered charging station in Santa Clara, central Cuba, is providing a lifeline for residents facing chronic blackouts and fuel shortages. The station, believed to be the first of its kind in the country, opened in early April and has attracted locals who charge everything from electric vehicles to household appliances.
Yudelaimys Barrero Muñoz, a mother of two, previously spent up to three hours hitchhiking to buy supplies for resale. Now she travels regularly with her family in a three-wheeled vehicle recharged at the station. “They have solved many problems for many people,” she said.
The station, financed by a local business, has 20 sockets for equipment, 16 spots for vehicles, and 12 for cooking. It provides 30 kilowatts of solar energy with a 60-kilowatt battery. Users can charge phones, rice cookers, pressure cookers, and even fry fish, as resident Danailys Arboláez Pérez does to save on gas.
Cuba has increased renewable energy to about 10% of its electricity, up from 3.6% in 2024, but distribution remains limited. The station offers a free alternative amid severe gas shortages and frequent power cuts, which Arboláez Pérez described as “apocalyptic” last year.
For Barrero Muñoz, the station has expanded her business. “I have more clients because I have more merchandise,” she said. The station has become a community hub, with nearly everyone in the neighbourhood using it, according to Arboláez Pérez.
