Latin America's green energy pioneer
October 14, 2021
Uruguay's natural resources are limited, but the Latin American country has plenty of sun, water and wind. And in the last decade, it has taken advantage of these riches.
Nearly 100% of Uruguay's energy now comes from renewable sources. The route to a cleaner energy supply is down to political will — and getting the country's residents on board.
Cattle rancher Pablo Capurro, for instance, initially rejected the idea of having wind turbines on his farm. The sound of the blades would be too noisy for his animals, he thought. But Capurro changed his mind after speaking to other wind park operators, and he now receives a payment for the turbines on his land.
Capurro isn't the only one who has been convinced. The transition to green energy sources means that many schools now have a stable electricity supply, and it's also made Uruguay less dependent on fossil fuel imports.
To secure its clean energy future, the country is keeping up with the latest research and is training engineers to specialize in renewables.
Project goal: Reducing carbon dioxide emissions, achieving energy independence and producing enough green energy to export to other countries.
Project partners: Uruguay is being supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Environment Ministry, as well as private and public partnerships in the country.
A film by Nicole Ris and Diego Casal