🇺🇾 Fossil fuels represent 85% of the world's energy mix. Uruguay, a country of 3.5 million people, has implemented its energy transition to reach 55% of its energy mix in renewable energy – almost 4 times the world average.
⛽️ About 20 years ago, Uruguay was heavily dependent on other countries like Argentina for oil, which accounted for nearly 30% of its imports. Between 2010 and 2016 the country launched a major plan to get it out of its dependence on oil, both for ecological and economic reasons.
⚡️♻️ In 2019, renewable energy provided the country with 97% of its electricity: production exceeded 4,800 megawatts, of which 31% was hydroelectricity, 31% wind, 3% thermal and the rest solar and biomass.
👉 The development of renewable energy sources has been done with some diversification: wind turbines, photovoltaic panels and biomass plants have been added to the existing hydroelectric dams.
💡 Uruguay has implemented a set of techniques to better cope with climate change.
🌬☀️ To achieve this, the State has been able to rely on the natural assets present in its territory: wind blowing almost constantly, good sunshine and a significant biomass resource – the country being very agricultural.
💰 This transition required $7.8 billion of investments in energy infrastructure, or 13% of the GDP: this allowed to reduce the costs of electricity production by 30%.
👍 Now Uruguay exports its energy surplus abroad, notably to Argentina!
🚌 To continue the abandonment of fossil fuels, the next project will concern transportation, still very dependent on oil.