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.

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.

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.

Does Uruguay have a wind power auction?

In 2009, Uruguay started holding auctions in which different wind companies from around the world came to bid on how cheaply they'd sell renewable energy to the country. In 2011, Uruguay held an auction intended to secure 150 megawatts of new wind power, which would have represented about 5% of the country's energy generating capacity.

Is Uruguay a repeatable framework of energy sovereignty for developing countries?

Ramón Mendéz Galain believes so. Uruguay’s former national director of energy in the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining, who was the impetus for the country’s shift away from dirty fuels, has been promoting the country’s success as a repeatable framework of energy sovereignty for developing countries.