4 FAQs about Uruguay s new outdoor power supply market

What is Uruguay's energy strategy?

In 2005, Uruguay initiated a dramatic shift in its energy strategy, moving from petroleum-based electricity generation to renewable sources. In 2024, Uruguay generated 99 percent of its electricity from renewable sources using hydropower (42 percent), wind (28 percent), and biomass (26 percent).

How much electricity does Uruguay produce?

The results speak for themselves. Today, Uruguay produces nearly 99% of its electricity from renewable sources, with only a small fraction—roughly 1%–3%—coming from flexible thermal plants, such as those powered by natural gas. They are used only when hydroelectric power cannot fully cover periods when wind and solar energy are low.

How much green energy does Uruguay use?

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.

How does Uruguay generate 97 percent of its electricity from renewable sources?

Going for gales: Wind turbine farms are one of the ways Uruguay managed to generate 97 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. (Courtesy of Natasha Hakimi Zapata)

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