IRENA Director-General Meets Vice-President of Uruguay

Uruguay is a global leader in renewables deployment, with more than 94% of the country’s electricity coming from renewables in 2015. The successful implementation of an enabling policy and regulatory framework helped drive this remarkable transition in just over a decade.

On 8 November 2016, HE Mr. Raul Sendic, Vice-President of Uruguay, visited IRENA’s headquarters to show his support for the Agency and engage with IRENA’s Director-General, Adnan Z. Amin.

 

Mr. Amin and Mr. Sendic spoke about Uruguay’s REmap analysis, which outlines how the country can boost its overall renewable energy share (in power, transport, and other sectors) to 56% by 2030. They also discussed the role of biofuels as a means to reach climate action targets.

Uruguay is a strong supporter of IRENA and was one of the first 75 signatories at IRENA’s Founding Conference in 2009. The country became a full member in August 2011, and has served as Chair of the 7^th and 8^th Councils, and Rapporteur of the 11^th and 12th Councils.

A renewable champion

Uruguay has a comprehensive, long-term energy plan aimed at diversifying its energy mix, reducing dependency on fossil fuels, improving energy efficiency, and increasing the use of domestic resources, mostly renewables. With a target of achieving 50% of its primary energy supply from renewable energy sources by 2015, the country plans to use renewables for electricity generation, industrial and domestic heat, and transport.

Renewable electricity deployment in Uruguay has achieved higher capacity and lower costs than originally anticipated, and following a series of auctions in 2016, the country reached 1 GW of installed wind capacity.

Visit Uruguay’s country profile to learn more about renewables in Uruguay, or check out IRENA’s recently released report Renewable Energy Market Analysis: Latin America for an overview of renewables in the region.