The Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV) of Cuba will have photovoltaic energy in 2022 thanks to the collaboration of Sodepaz of Spain and other entities, it transpired today.
Sodepaz (Solidarity for development and peace), one of the most active in cooperation with the Caribbean island from Spain, is the promoter of the project together with Cubasolar, which will allow the electrification of the IFV, an entity with a long and successful history in the creation and production, the most recent against Covid-19.
According to a press release accessed by Prensa Latina, in 2022, Cubasolar and Sodepaz will improve the IFV’s energy efficiency in order to guarantee sustainability in the research and production processes of Cuban vaccines, including those facing the pandemic. of the new coronavirus.
To advance the program, an investment of more than one million euros is planned, both in the acquisition of equipment and in their installation.
The co-financing of the project of the Andalusian Agency for International Development Cooperation (Aacid) and the Spanish Agency for Development Cooperation (Aecid) has been finalized in recent days, he explained.
The Finlay Institute has a closed-cycle platform, with the complete process of developing a vaccine (Research-Development-Production-Marketing and Post-sale monitoring) to obtain its products aimed at solving health problems of the Cuban population and worldwide, he explained. the fountain.
The details of the project include the installation of 1,200 solar panels to start up a 300 kWp photovoltaic grid connection system, capable of producing 1,500 kWh per day, 547 Megawatt hours per year.
Likewise, the replacement of three thousand fluorescent lamps with efficient LED bulbs and 40 perimeter lamps with 30 LED lamps and 10 photovoltaic lamps.
In this way, it will be possible to reduce the electricity consumption of plant 3 of the center by 60 percent.
In addition, the purchase of electric vehicles is planned to guarantee sustainable mobility.
In November, the first meeting was held with the Finlay Institute’s management in order to coordinate the start of the project.
In a reference text, Sodepaz stressed that it seems that no one cares about leaving the greatest health crisis of our time in the hands of a handful of multinational pharmaceutical companies.
“In this complex international context, Cuba appears as the only country in the South with the capacity and resources to research and produce vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” he added.
To complete, the solidarity group stressed that it understands the project as an important step in order to guarantee Cuba’s sanitary sovereignty and a significant triangular cooperation action, since Cuban vaccines against Covid-19 are used in countries such as Nicaragua, Venezuela, Mexico, Iran and Vietnam.
IFV is the creator of the Sovereign 01, 02 and Plus vaccines.
