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 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.

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.