Costa Rica produced enough renewable energy to power all the electricity needs of the country for 300 days in 2017. And that statistic was produced in November, so the total number of days almost certainly rests above 300.

So how do the nearly 5 million Ticos, aka native Costa Ricans, get that power?

Power to the People

Hydropower produces more than three-quarters of the country’s renewable energy composition. Abundant rainfall naturally derived from the country’s geography provides fuel for the hydroelectricity.

Ten percent of the power comes from wind generation and another ten percent originates from geothermal energy.

But the tiny Central American nation’s clean efforts go far beyond sourcing its energy renewably. It has become a model country in terms of sustainability.

Staying Green

Given that most plastic ends up in the oceans and Costa Rica has a prominent coastline, last year the government announced a ban on single-use plastics by 2021. That would make it the first country in the world to do so.

The government has called on all Ticos to support this measure with their daily actions. The recycling system already in place serves as a robust method to utilize any usable materials. Businesses and homes often have five receptacles for various materials: glass, plastic, paper, metal, and food waste.

Furthermore, to maintain the green and all that resides within it, 25% of Costa Rica has been declared protected land.

Costa Rica Leads Towards a Clean Future

Monica Araya, the founder of Costa Rica Limpia (Clean Costa Rica), beautifully stated the significance Costa Rica’s trailblazing accomplishment: “It really is time to debunk the myth that a country has to choose between development on the one hand and environmental protection, renewables, quality of life, on the other.”

You can watch this video by The Climate Reality Project to get a complete understanding of Costa Rica’s cleantech development:

Act on Climate

BREAKING NEWS!

A US solar panel trade case has been in discussion for months and just this week came to a head. The Trump administration announced a new 30% tariff on imported solar panels.

How will this affect the US solar industry? An estimated 23,000 jobs will be lost. 7.6 gigawatts (GW) of solar power previously projected for development between 2018 and 2022 will no longer come to fruition. That’s enough solar energy to power an entire city like New Orleans!

Get educated about the dynamic state of the US solar industry by reading Julia Pyper’s Green Tech Media article, “New Tariffs to Curb US Solar Installations by 11% Through 2022”.