Cuba is facing the most severe energy crisis in its history, marked by a critical shortage of fossil fuels that also directly affects electricity generation. Power outages and scheduled blackouts not only hinder economic activity: they deeply impact daily life, from food spoiling in powerless refrigerators to schools and hospitals unable to operate normally.
Paradoxically, this situation coexists with a wide availability of residual biomass, a renewable, local and abundant resource that remains largely underused. And when it is used, it is often in inefficient conditions, with high emissions and low performance. This apparent contradiction can be explained by two key factors: the need for technological innovation to adapt production and combustion equipment to each type of biomass, and the absence of a consolidated market capable of developing the supply and demand of high-quality solid biofuels simultaneously.
In this context, the project From Waste to Resource: Comprehensive Utilization of Forest Biomass from Sustainable Management in the Almendares River Basin (2025-INN-16687) has emerged, funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) through its 2025 Innovation for Development programme.
Led by Prof. Javier Royo, the initiative, which is a continuation of the previous Mor-e project, will install a plant to produce standardized wood chips and biomass pellets from forest residues. These biofuels will replace diesel in several local facilities, including a bakery, a pasta-processing factory and a hotel, reducing their vulnerability to the ongoing energy crisis. Beyond its immediate benefits, the initiative carries strategic value: it demonstrates that high-quality biomass is a viable energy resource for Cuba’s future. Its sustainable and efficient use makes it possible to transform forest residues into clean, stable and local energy, offering a realistic pathway toward a more resilient, secure and sustainable energy system.
