Ecobreves – CUBA: Windmills Improve Rural Life

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

HAVANA, May 11 2005 (IPS) - Rural communities in the eastern Cuban province of Santiago will have water this month thanks to the installation of modern windmills to pump the vital liquid from the ground. The shortage of water supplies has been solved by the 15 windmills included in the ''Initiative for an Eco-Efficient Community'', developed with the help of the Canadian International Development Agency.

Cuban technicians told Tierramérica that the equipment involves a system to capture the wind using delta-shaped blades, which can function even in low winds.

The windmills are high-output and resistant to corrosive environmental conditions, according to the experts.

There are an estimated six or seven thousand windmills in Cuba, most manufactured locally, but many have fallen into disuse because of poor maintenance and lack of replacement parts.