What is the future of energy in Uruguay?

Credit: FRV Future Renewable Vision. After hydropower and wind, biomass is another important energy source, accounting for 15-20% of the electricity Uruguay produces. Wood pulp plants, for example, are now burning organic waste to produce energy for the grid, turning what was an environmental liability into an energy asset.

Does Uruguay have a green energy grid?

Uruguay's power grid runs on 98% green energy. Here's how it got there : Planet Money : NPR How did Uruguay cut carbon emissions? The answer is blowing in the wind Ramón Méndez Galain was Uruguay's National Director of Energy from 2008 to 2015. His plan for the energy sector led to 98% of Uruguay's grid being powered by green energy.

Does Uruguay have a problem with wind energy?

In other countries, there have been problems with quality, with accountability, with corruption. The wind project in Uruguay didn't suffer from those, but it does have some critics. In the last 12 years, the price for wind energy has gone down. It's now 30 to 40% cheaper than it was then.

Why does Uruguay generate a surplus of electricity?

Typically, Uruguay generates a surplus of electricity due to an excess of wind-power capacity. The country seeks to identify additional domestic uses for excess electricity and potentially increase exports to Argentina and Brazil.

How much of Uruguay's energy comes from fossil fuels?

Back then, he said, about half of Uruguay’s energy mix came from imported fossil fuels, at a cost that at times exceeded 2% of GDP. The country was also experiencing some energy shortages.

Why did Uruguay start using wind turbines?

Avoiding nuclear power entirely, Uruguay first embraced wind turbines as a source of cheap, reliable power; providing 40% of the country’s capacity in less than a decade.