US sanctions, power cuts, climate crisis: why Cuba is betting on renewables

With Trump blocking Venezuelan oil imports and old power plants breaking down, the island - with Chinese help - is turning to solar and wind to bolster its fragile energy systemIntense heat hangs over the sugarcane fields near Cuba's eastern coast. In the village of Herradura, a blond-maned horse rests under a palm tree after spending all Saturday in the fields with its owner, Roberto, who cultivates maize and beans.Roberto was among those worst affected by Hurricane Melissa, which hit eastern Cuba - the country's poorest region - late last year. The storm affected 3.5 million people, damaging or destroying 90,000 homes and 100,000 hectares of crops. Continue reading...