The production of solar water heaters will be stepped up in Cuba as part of efforts to promote the use of renewable energy sources. A factory in the central province of Ciego de Ávila that renewed operations in February, after a one-year closure, has enough raw materials to manufacture some 4,500 water heaters over the remainder of this year and next year. The main purchasers of the heaters include the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Tourism.

Luis Bérriz, president of Cubasolar, a non-governmental organization that promotes the use of alternative and environmentally sustainable energy sources, told Tierramérica that the installation of one million household solar water heaters could save 400 megawatts of electricity generated throughout conventional means.

Bérriz added that investment in the heaters is recouped in one or two years through savings in conventional fuel alone.