Uruguay Outdoor Power Plant

Electricity can be generated in two main ways: by harnessing the heat from burning fuels or nuclear reactions in the form of steam (thermal power) or by capturing the energy of natural forces such as the sun, wind or moving water. of total generation

In 2016, even before several more renewables projects went online, it hit 94.5 percent green energy. In 2019, according to an analysis by the Uruguayan company SEG Engineering, the country ran on 98 percent renewable energy.

Just 17 years ago, Uruguay used fossil fuels for a third of its energy generation, according to the World Resources Institute. Today, only 2% of the electricity consumed in Uruguay is generated from fossil sources. The country's thermal power plants rarely need to be activated, except when natural resources are insufficient.

Once a net importer of energy, Uruguay now exports its surplus energy to neighbouring Brazil and Argentina. In less than two decades, Uruguay broke free of its dependence on oil imports and carbon emitting power generation, transitioning to renewable energy that is owned by the state but with infrastructure paid for by private investment.

Once reliant on exorbitantly priced fossil fuel imports for nearly half of its energy needs, Uruguay has gone from suffering frequent blackouts and power cuts to relative energy sovereignty based almost entirely on electricity generated from a stable mix of wind, solar, hydroelectric, and bioenergy sources.

It wasn't until the advent of hydroelectric power at the end of the 19th century that the country was able to use its rivers to help meet its power needs. To this day, Uruguay continues to rely heavily on its dams, including the imposing Salto Grande on the Río Uruguay, whose power is shared with Argentina, and several on the Río Negro.