How Uruguay Shifted From Fossil Fuels To 95% Clean Electricity In 10 Years

“The country is defining global trends in renewable energy investment.”

As world leaders gather in Paris to discuss how to curb global climate change, the people of Uruguay are enjoying affordable clean energy with very little pollution.

Over the last decade, Uruguay has transitioned over from total reliance on dirty fossil fuels and is now getting more than 94 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources. What’s more amazing is that Uruguay made the switch without any government subsidies and is now providing citizens with lower monthly energy bills than before.

“What we’ve learned is that renewables is just a financial business,” says Ramón Méndez, National Director of Energy. “The construction and maintenance costs are low, so as long as you give investors a secure environment, it is a very attractive [business].”

He is also quick to point out that while the plan they have followed is simple, it didn’t happen overnight.