As concerns about global warming escalate countries are increasingly coming under pressure to switch to more environment friendly policies and cut down on their use of fossil fuels. Some of the most widely used renewable energy solutions include wind and solar farms as well as hydroelectric plants. Costa Rica has shown that it’s possible to power an entire country using only renewable energy. Due to heavy rainfall the Central American country was able to fulfill all of its energy needs through its hydroelectric power plants.
The country has actually achieved a milestone as it relied on 100 percent renewable energy for a record 75 days in a row. Heavy rainfall contributed to this feat.
According to the Costa Rican Electricity Institute, heavy rainfall allowed the country to generate electricity through four hydroelectric plants in the first three months of 2015. Costa Rica hasn’t burnt any fossil fuels since December 2014 to generate electricity.
Granted that this is a small country with a population of less than five million people, nevertheless it goes to show that renewable energy solutions do work, and that fossil fuels are not the only solution to our energy woes.
The country wants to further increase its reliance on renewable energy. It is planning new geothermal projects which will ensure that Costa Rica doesn’t have to burn fossil fuels in the future to generate electricity.
Filed in . Read more about Renewable Energy. Source: independent