Hi John, just on Cuba's lack of planning around generation...you might be a bit unfair. First of all real solar energy generation has only been around for about 10 years. Yes, panels were going up on North American middle class homes for long than that, but modern utility scale solar energy is a relatively new thing. It requires a very sensitive and robust grid along with advanced computers and...battery storage, which is out of cost for even most USonians. To think totally impoverished Cuba could invest in this is wishful thinking, IMO. However, solar panels ARE being installed, without battery back up, to at least power some homes and businesses during the day when it is not to cloudy.
OK...historically...Cuba was quite committed to nuclear energy and started building two Russian VVER-440MW reactors which at the time would of supplied about 1/3 of Cuba's energy needs (I think, I'd have to look it up). Cuba wanted to get off of fossil fuels for a variety of reason. When the USSR collapsed, construction was suspended and that would need no discussion obviously. I think it is highly unfortunate the reactors...an excellent design and nothing like the Chernobyl reactors. Cuba's electrical need ranges ranges between 3,000 and 3,500 Megawatts (MW) according to wiki. The reactors are basically impervious to hurricanes. They would need about 7 of these older VVER reactors to meet all the needs of Cuba's electrical grid so they could stop burning 110,000 barrels a day they do now. Oh well, a sad thing IMO. David -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#41809): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/41809 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/119400124/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/13617172/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
