Luis Hilario Berriz Pérez, Cuban solar energy pioneer, dies

Luis Hilario Berriz Pérez, a prominent Cuban scientist and pioneer in renewable energy, has passed away. The Academy of Sciences of Cuba (ACC) and various scientific organizations mourned the loss of the researcher, who was a leading advocate for solar and photovoltaic energy.

Berriz earned his degree in Mechanical Engineering in Czechoslovakia in 1965 and later obtained a doctorate in Technical Sciences. His career included significant leadership roles, such as director of the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Oriente and founder of the Department of Mechanization and Automation at the Ministry of the Food Industry.

A central figure in Cuba's energy research, he established the Solar Energy Research Center (CIES) in Santiago de Cuba in 1984. In 1994, he founded Cubasolar, the Cuban Society for the Promotion of Renewable Energy Sources and Environmental Respect, serving as its president. His work focused on utilizing local energy resources for regional development and included publishing scientific journals such as ‘Eco Solar’ and ‘Energía y Tú’.