Dec 7, 2022 · Uruguay''s wind turbines spinning like gauchos'' lassos while Argentina''s solar panels soak up sun like mate tea drinkers at a Buenos Aires café. These two neighbors aren''t
May 15, 2024 · Integrating wind power with energy storage technologies is crucial for frequency regulation in modern power systems, ensuring the reliable and cost-effective operation of
Significant investments in wind power over the last decade have led to an increased share of this technology, which has now surpassed hydropower in terms of installed capacity and constitutes more than half of Uruguay’s renewable energy capacity (IRENA, 2019g). National policy had a strong influence on these developments.
In 2009, Uruguay started holding auctions in which different wind companies from around the world came to bid on how cheaply they'd sell renewable energy to the country. In 2011, Uruguay held an auction intended to secure 150 megawatts of new wind power, which would have represented about 5% of the country's energy generating capacity.
The country has continuously exceeded its wind targets. The government aimed to have 300 MW of installed wind capacity by 2015, which was increased to 500 MW as development beat expectations. Uruguay now aims to generate 38 percent of its electricity from wind by the end of 2017, more than doubling the current share.
"Uruguay is now generating 95% of its electricity from renewable energy". Quartz. Archived from the original on 8 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016. ^ MacDonald, Fiona (4 December 2015). "Uruguay has shifted to getting 95% of its electricity from renewables in less than 10 years". ScienceAlert.
Uruguay’s wind development was driven by a desire to increase energy security. The country had relied heavily on hydropower historically.
Today, there are more than 700 wind turbines installed across Uruguay's countryside. "It was absolutely a complete transformation," says Méndez Galain. "So many people talk about what happened as an Uruguayan energy revolution. Because really it was a revolution."
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