Researcher(s):
Daphne Yuen
ENVS course(s): 400 Initiated: September 2016 Completed: May 2017 Go to project site
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By the year 2030, Cuba wants to generate 24% of its energy from renewables. Cuba’s motivation for integrating more renewable energy technology was not driven by environmental concerns, but rather a series of events that led up to their decision. With the decision to incorporate more renewables, Cuba is facing new kinds of development that could result in general trends of traditional patterns of development or move to an alternative outcome with more even distributions to individuals. My thesis examines the kinds of renewable energy projects that are being implemented in Cuba and how the benefits and access to renewable energy will be distributed to its residents, both urban and rural. In order to determine this, I created a rubric that draws general characteristics from Development and Post-Development Theory and applied them to various projects that are being implemented in Cuba.
Framing Question: How equitable will distribution and access to renewable energy be?
Framing Question: How is the development of renewable energy creating or helping greater access for Cuban individuals?
Main Finding: The majority of Cuba’s renewable energy projects are funded by foreign entities, which fall more in line with traditional development theory, however, the contracts and plans for implementation align more closely with post-development theory. This in addition to Cuba’s priority of social programs indicate a more even distribution of benefits upon completion and operation of its various renewable energy projects.