The Cuban government tests its first biogas production plant in the Martí municipality, Matanzas province, amid the worst energy crisis the island has experienced in decades. The decision sparks criticism with messages of distrust on social media.
The first Cuban biogas plant will be powered by pig waste. The government claims it will supply fuel for five buses and contribute to electricity generation in the municipality of Martí. They present the project as a progress in the use of renewable energies.
However, the public reaction has been characterized by skepticism. "An investment of 5 million dollars to fuel 5 buses?" some question, doubting the proportionality between the cost and the actual benefit.
The discomfort is also linked to the shortage of pork on the island. "How will they make it work if there are not even pigs left in this country?" said an internet user.
"Right now, a piece of shit in Cuba is worth 1000 pesos," they mock, reflecting frustration over shortages and also the inflation that drives up the prices of any useful product.
Other users recalled failed projects from the past: “Years ago, they prepared a power plant using marabú. Have you heard about it again?” they point out, referring to initiatives that did not succeed.
In a country where pig production has drastically declined, the idea of generating energy from its waste brings more doubts than enthusiasm, while blackouts and the food crisis persist.
The installation, which is 60% complete according to statements from a project technician to Canal Caribe, processes the waste from the swine complexes in the area to generate biomethane.
The technical startup is scheduled for before April 4, when the launch will take place alongside the project's foreign suppliers to begin generating biomethane for public transportation.
The project includes a buried gas pipeline of 14 kilometers that transports biogas from the pig farms to the processing plant, an infrastructure that represents an unprecedented investment for Cuba in renewable energy.
The initiative arises in a context of profound deterioration of the Cuban electrical system, marked by six nationwide blackouts in 18 months, which have left the population without electricity for hours and have paralyzed productive sectors throughout the country.
The reactions of Cubans on social media to the news have been mixed, with some viewing biogas as a promising solution while others express skepticism about the government's ability to execute projects of this scale amid the crisis.
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