News · Society
Batteries and portable power stations take hold as backup against the blackouts
Households and small businesses are combining batteries, solar panels and generators to keep lights, refrigeration and internet running, according to an IPS Cuba report picked up by Infobae. One Havana family invested about $1,500 in batteries and panels, against an average state wage of about $10 a month.
The lack of electricity for much of the day has turned battery storage and portable power stations into a household alternative in Cuba. According to the IPS Cuba report, homes are combining batteries, solar panels, diesel generators and hybrid systems at a time when the Unión Eléctrica's generation shortfall has exceeded half of daily demand for months.
Purchases are made through online platforms run from abroad or from private businesses that sell the equipment on the island, generally priced in dollars. Among the most widely used brands are EcoFlow, Bluetti and Oupes, with stations that charge from the state grid, with solar panels or from both sources.
Nuria Ferrer, a Havana resident, bought a diesel generator in 2025 when the outages began to spread in the capital. The unit burned close to a liter of fuel per hour of use, an option that became more expensive after the diesel price rise in 2026. Her husband, Jorge Valdés, told IPS Cuba that the household went through several options before installing a 1,500-watt EcoFlow station and a 400-watt solar panel sent by a daughter from abroad: about $400 for the generator and another $1,500 for the batteries and panels.
The report puts the average monthly wage in Cuba at about $10, based on the various exchange rates in force, which places this equipment out of reach for much of the population that depends on state income.
The backup is also limited. Valdés said that, without enough solar charging, his family's system lasts about three hours if it powers high-consumption appliances such as an electric stove or an air conditioner; on cloudy days they must wait for the state supply to return, carry the batteries elsewhere to charge them or start the generator. “What would really solve the problem is having electricity all the time,” Ferrer said, in remarks translated by Yamacoa.
The trend also reaches people who work online and small businesses. Alejandro Vázquez, a programmer and electronics repairman, bought four batteries and a system that switches the supply over automatically when a blackout hits. Aníbal Águila, the owner of a family café, keeps the place open and his drinks cold with a power station, a battery and three solar panels, although, according to the report, the extra income does not necessarily offset the initial outlay or the maintenance. Panels installed on rooftops, balconies and windows also face the risk of theft.
Sources: Infobae
Data updated: 2026-10-25T04:15:00.000Z