Costa Rica Exceeds 98% Renewable Energy Generation For Third Consecutive Year

So far this year, the country has run entirely on renewable energy for 300 days, besting record of 299 set in 2015; in 2016 the country went 271 days using only renewable energy

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Costa Rica has charted another clean energy accolade, so far this year, running on 300 days of 100%  power generation from renewable energy sources, this according to the State power utility company, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), from figures of  the Centro Nacional de Control de Energía (CENCE) – National Center for Energy Control.

So far this year, the country has run entirely on renewable energy for 300 days, besting record of 299 set in 2015; in 2016 the country went 271 days using only renewable energy

With weeks yet to go to the end of the year, the figure already sets a new record, besting the 299 days set in 2015.

Last year, in 2016, the country went 271 days using only renewable energy.

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Almost all, 99.2% of Costa Rica’s electrical power comes from five renewable sources: 78.26% from hydroelectric power, 10.29% from wind, 10.23% from geothermal energy and 0.84% percent from biomass and solar.

Without question, Costa Rica has emerged as a global environmental leader, with its frequent 100 percent renewable energy streaks. The country also has a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2021, a deadline set a decade ago. However, that goal may not become a reality, just yet.

According to ICE, 2017 is the biggest year for wind production in the country’s history, with 1,014.82 gigawatt hours generated by 16 wind farms.

The first wind farm in the country and in Latin America was inaugurated in 1996, in Guanacaste.

CR was the first country in Latin America that generated electricity from the wind. Installed capacity increased 545%.

The Miravalles Solar Plant, inaugurated in 2012, became the first on the isthmus to use solar radiation to produce electricity. It is located in the province of Guanacaste, considered “the Costa Rican capital of renewable sources.”