The whole country lived two months exclusively on renewable energy

Costa Rica, a small country in Central America with the warm weather most of the time could have been a very limit the consumption of fossil fuels. By 76 days during the period from June to August it was powered continuously from energy solely from renewable sources.

The whole country lived two months exclusively on renewable energy
El Diquís Hydroelectric Project. Photo: Wikipedia

A total of 2016 already for more than 150 days it lived only on the current from the wind, Sun, water and underground heat sources (geothermal). Interestingly the most power, because until 80.27% came from water flow, this year simply very abundant rain, so very efficiently they can work the local hydroelectric power plants.

Of course you need to be aware that such a feat was possible thanks to the fact that Costa Rica is a small country with  8 times less inhabitants then average EU country, there are too many absorbing the most current heavy industry. However, and as her example shows us that you can.

Costa Rica industry and population

costa-rica-flagCosta Rica is a rugged, rainforested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Though its capital, San Jose, is home to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds.

Capital: San José
Population: 4.872 million (2013) World Bank

The last time a fossil fuel was used to provide power to Costa Rica was the 16 June 2016. Since then it’s been 76 days and all the energy consumed in this country comes from renewable resources.

The Central American country has managed to be in operation for more than two consecutive months without the use of fossil fuels, and this year was 150 days working only with renewable energy.

The country has been powered by hydropower, geothermal, solar and wind power. The hydropower was responsible for producing 80.27% of all energy used in the country during the month of August. In July, 59.1% of energy had been produced by wind turbines.

Geothermal power stations contributed about of 12.62%, wind turbines with 7.1% and solar power with 0.01%.

Costa Rica Geothermal power stations. Miravalles geothermal plant and solar plant. Photo: source:

In 2015, the Costa Rica spent 299 days without burning oil, coal or natural gas, after a large investment on the part of the Government.

Source: GrupoICE, image: To Nem80 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

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