Costa Rica hits renewable energy mark for fourth year in a row

Costa Rica has generated more than 98 per cent of its power through renewable sources for the fourth year in a row, the state energy body has said.

In 2018, just 1.44 per cent of the central American country's electricity came from fossil fuel plants, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute said in a statement Thursday.

ICE power director Luis Pacheco said Costa Rica's electricity generation system had made it "an example for the region and the world." River water is the main source of energy, providing 73.87 percent of the country's needs, followed by wind (15.6 per cent) and geothermal energy from its volcanos (8.38 per cent).

 

Costa Rica avoided using its fossil fuels plants in 300 days during 2018; the last instance came on May 17.

October was the month in which it generated the most renewable electricity, some 976.78 gigawatts an hour, the ICE said.