UK and Cuba partner in alternative energy
A joint UK and Cuban venture will see a total of $250m invested in a biomass power facility near Havana.
The move will mark one of the largest alternative energy partnerships for the two nations. Havana Energy, a UK-based energy group headed by former energy minister Brian Wilson is taking on a joint endeavor with Zerus SA, a state-owned Cuban firm.
The venture will see five power plants that will be fueled by bagasse, a residue of sugar cane processing. A pilot plant is being built near the Ciro Redondo Sugar Mill – a 100-year old sugar plant that sits 400kms from Havana.
In the project’s second phase, the plans call for four more plants of the same nature to be fuelled using the same bi-product. Cuba’s vice-minister of sugar, Nelson Labrada said that it was possible that using sugar mills, Cuba could generate nearly 40 per cent of the energy needed by the country.
According to Havana Energy, seven per cent of the country’s energy needs are met by renewable energy sources currently. So far, the country has identified 56 facilities that could be suitable to receive biomass power generation.
The UK group is putting up the $250m capital for the project, while its Cuban counterpart is contributing land and sugar cane, said Mr Wilson.
Source: http://www.recycle.co.uk
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