ABSTRACT
Wind energy is a clean and renewable source of power, which can be used effectively to relieve climate change. The Cuban government pays great attention to the development and rational use of renewable energy resources, especially to wind energy. Since 1991, the Cuban government has carried out different actions, which laid a solid foundation for the status of wind energy by 2012. The first wind turbines appeared in the country in the beginning of the 20th century. In reality, the Cuban wind energy sector connected to the electricity production in 2005, with the launch of the Energy Revolution.The development of wind power in Cuba can be divided in the following stages: (1) Before the revolution in 1959; (2) From 1959 to 1989 with the collapse of USSR; (3) From 1989 to 2005 with the beginning of Cuba’s energy revolution; (4) From 2005 up to now. 12.1.1 Before the Revolution in 1959At the end of 1877, an industrial arch system, dedicated to the illumination service, was demonstrated publicly in Cuba for the first time. The first power electric plant, known as Tallapiedra, was put in operation in 1889 in Havana city to illuminate street lights in Havana. This service was, however, inaugurated officially in 1 January 1890. Later this service was extended to the other cities of the country. By the end of 1958, the electricity-generation capacity of this plant was 361.6 MW, of which 214 MW was consumed in Cuba. The population of Cuba was around 6 million out of which 1.2 million people inhabited metropolitan Havana.
