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.

What was the energy grid like in Uruguay?

Uruguay's energy grid was powered almost exclusively by domestically created, renewable energy, and, adjusted for inflation, consumer prices had gone down. Today, there are more than 700 wind turbines installed across Uruguay's countryside. "It was absolutely a complete transformation," says Méndez Galain.

What percentage of energy is generated by biomass in Uruguay?

In 2021, biomass represented 41 percent of the total energy supply in Uruguay, while oil and its derivatives were responsible for 42 percent. Uruguay’s high percentage of biomass energy generation is a result of cellulose industry expansion where energy is generated from wood waste products.

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.

How much sunlight does Uruguay get a year?

Uruguay receives an average 1,700 KW per square meter of sunlight a year, on a par with Mediterranean countries although solar represents only a fraction of the country’s total electricity production.