Uruguay evergreen solar eg

Should Uruguay switch to green electricity?

Uruguay, one of South America’s smallest countries, is attracting outsized attention over its transition to green electricity. It didn’t happen simply by building a bunch of wind and solar farms, the architect of the strategy said, but by rethinking the entire energy system. And, he said, other countries could do that too.

How much energy does Uruguay need?

The Solution to Intermittency Renewable sources—hydroelectric power, wind, biomass, and solar energy—now cover up to 98% of Uruguay’s energy needs in a normal year and still over 90% in a very dry one, according to Méndez.

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.

Why is Uruguay a green country?

The country tends to produce a surplus of renewable energy, which allows it to export green electricity elsewhere. In 2021, Uruguay generated 14.04 TW of electricity (a 20% increase from 2020), 1119 TW for internal demand and exported 2,200 MW to Brazil plus 627 MW to Argentina, according to US International Trade Administration data.

Does Uruguay have a wind farm?

Cover Image: Wind energy supplies up to 40% of Uruguay’s power needs. This wind farm, operated by the public utility UTE, is located in the southern Uruguayan department of Maldonado. Credit: UTE

How can Uruguay use nontraditional renewables without battery storage?

By balancing complementary resources in particular locations and at particular times of day, Uruguay has been able to incorporate large amounts of nontraditional renewables without any battery storage.