Huge success story of Uruguay's wind power

Uruguay went from having virtually no wind power generation in 2007 to installing 581 MW of wind capacity by mid-2015, providing an average 17 percent of total electricity generation over the year. Country also became a double world-record holder - by 2013, it was receiving the largest share of clean energy investment as a percentage of GDP, and, in 2014, it installed the most wind per capita of any country.

Costa-Rica: 99 percent of consumed electricity in 2015 came from renewables

This information was released by Costa-Rica's state electricity agency. The wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass were major sources of electricity in the country last year.

Banks provide financing for geothermal development in Eastern Caribbean

New $71.5 million loan and grant package, called the Sustainable Energy Facility (SEF), is approved by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Program will support geothermal and other sustainable energy development projects in the Eastern Caribbean.

Mexico’s solar and wind sectors have experienced triple-digit growth rates over the last 10 years

The country will require an additional 22 gigawatts of power generation in the next ten years and its government is set on transforming the country’s power mix in order to reach the goal of generating 35 percent of total electricity from clean sources by 2025. 

California and Peru provide free solar panels to their poorest residents

The first California resident, who is a disabled man,  received a free rooftop solar system. If it performs as expected, the 2.5 kW solar electric system will save  $818 in the first year and $22,800 over its 30-year lifetime.

Building a More Competitive Mexico City Through Energy Efficiency

Hosted by Mexico City’s Ministry of the Environment (SEDEMA), a recent workshop marked the kickoff of Building Efficiency Accelerator activities in Mexico City. Mexico City was one of five global cities to make an early commitment to participate in the Accelerator at the UN Climate Summit in September 2014.  At least 20 percent of the city's emissions come from buildings, so improving energy use will help the city hit its goal of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020. Read more at http://sustainablecitiescollective.com

Building a More Competitive Mexico City Through Energy Efficiency

Mexico City – 1 of 5 global cities – is now working on a Building Efficiency Accelerator for retrofitting buildings to use less energy and make them competitive. At least 20 percent of the city's emissions come from buildings, so improving energy use will help the city hit its goal of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020. Efficient buildings—those that use fewer resources but provide the same level of services—are more livable and comfortable, improving the health of occupants and the productivity of workers. For example, integrating energy efficient building principles into the design of two LEED certified 7-Eleven stores in Monterrey, Mexico reduced energy use by 20 percent, improved customer experience, and increased sales by 22 percent compared to non-LEED stores in the area. Read more at http://sustainablecitiescollective.com

Costa Rica is now running completely on renewable energy

Thanks to some heavy rainfall this year, Costa Rica’s hydropower plants alone are generating nearly enough electricity to power the entire country. With a boost from geothermal, solar, and wind energy sources, the country doesn’t need an ounce of coal or petroleum to keep the lights on. Costa Rica is a small nation, has less than 5 million people, doesn’t have much of a manufacturing industry that would require a lot of energy, and is filled with volcanoes and other topographical features that lend themselves to renewable energy. Read more at http://qz.com

Nicaragua On Course To Become Renewable Powerhouse

In the period 2006-2012, the Central American country attracted $1.5 billion in investment in renewable energy, the largest such per capita investment in Latin America. As a result, it now derives 15% of its electricity from wind power plants, 16% from geothermal, 12% from hydro, and 7% from biomass. It has scarcely begun to exploit solar power potential too.  According to the energy plan released last fall, the government plans to attract $4 billion in renewable energy investment over the next 15 years. Read more at http://oilprice.com

Sustainable energy and green economy: a new paradigm for Caribbean development

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)) has made energy sustainability in the region as one of its priorities. In 2014, the Bank issued a report   “A New Paradigm for Caribbean Development: Transitioning to a Green Economy”, which analyses the options to make a transition to increased energy efficiency and use of renewable energy.

Renewable Energy Review: Brazil

Bottlenecks will need to be addressed to accommodate the 22.4 GW of wind capacity expected to be online by 2023, from just 3.5 GW today. Read more at www.renewableenergyworld.com