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.

Why did Uruguay rethink its energy strategy?

In the 2000s, facing rising fossil fuel prices and energy demand, Uruguay was compelled to reconsider its energy strategy. Importing oil exposed the country to volatile global markets, as seen in the early 2000s when oil prices soared from $20 to a record $145 per barrel.

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.

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.

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

Why did Uruguay change its energy policy?

This volatility strained Uruguay’s economy, forcing then-President Tabaré Vázquez to import energy at premium prices due to increasing household energy demands. This challenge led to a revolutionary shift in Uruguay's energy policy under the guidance of physicist Ramón Méndez Galain, who transformed the nation's energy grid.