94% Renewable Electricity By 2017 Is Goal For Nicaragua

CleanTechnicaCoal, gas, nuclear, Energy, Hydro, tidal, wave, Solar, Wind

Nicaragua has one of the most aggressive renewable energy goals in the world — it intends to have 94% of its electricity come from renewable energy by 2017. The spark for this new energy push was an energy crisis due to a heavy reliance on foreign oil. Reducing this over-reliance from 70% to 6% could be made possible by renewable energy infrastructure development.

While these goals may seem unachievable in a poor country with technological challenges, there are only about six million people living there, and a single, very large hydroelectric plant could go a long way toward providing clean energy. The Tumarin project will cost about $1.1 billion and has a 253-megawatt capacity. It should be completed by 2016 and could provide about 50% of the country’s electricity.

The Amayo I and II wind farms are producing about 63 megawatts, and a 72 MW geothermal project — the San Jacinto-Tizate — could become operational by 2014. Bagasse already supplies a small percentage of their total power, and solar is also an option.

The switch from fossil fuels to renewables could move Nicaragua from one of the most oil-dependent nations to one of the least in a very short time. “You must recall that this is taking place in the second-poorest country in Latin America  and amid the worst financial, economic social and increasingly political crisis of world capitalism since the Great Depression of the 1930s,” said Nicaraguan presidential advisor Paul Oquist.

Often, because the largest nations are perceived as being more important, news about them gets the most attention, and some of them struggle to make significant changes quickly. As a result, there is too much skepticism — even cynicism — about the viability of renewable energy. Green energy is not just another fad, though. If Nicaragua gets to 94% renewable electricity by 2017, it will become an inarguable example of success, not just environmentally, but also economically — because a significant portion of its GDP will no longer be spent on foreign oil.

Nicaragua Would Join a Long List of Countries Powered by Renewable Energy

Editor’s note: coincidentally, I just ran across a wonderful list of 45 countries that already get 60% or more of their electricity from renewable energy. The compilation was put together by Dr. Karl-Friedrich Lenz, using data from the CO2scorecard site. Here’s the full list (countries in bold get 95% or more of their electricity from renewable energy):

Albania (100% hydro in 2008).

Angola (96.45% hydro in 2008)

Austria (73.86% renewable in 2009, 12.5% of that non hydro)

Belize (90.91% hydro in 2008)

Bhutan (99.86% hydro in 2008)

Brazil (88.88% renewable with 4.93 non hydro in 2009)

Burundi (100% hydro in 2008)

Cameroon (77.31% hydro in 2008)

Canada (61.95% renewable, with 1.86% non hydro in 2009)

Central African Republic (81.25% renewable in 2008)

Columbia (85.67% hydro in 2008)

Congo (82.22% renewable in 2008)

Costa Rica (93.11% renewable in 2008)

DPR Korea (61.86%  hydro in 2008)

DR Congo (99.46% hydro in 2008)

Ecuador (64.12% renewable in 2008, with 2.21% non hydro)

El Salvador (62.24% renewable in 2008, with 26.92 non hydro)

Ethiopia (88.17% renewable in 2008, with 0.27% non hydro)

Fiji (68.04% renewable in 2008)

Georgia (85.52% hydro in 2008)

Ghana (75.03% hydro in 2008)

Guatemala (61.31% renewable, with 17.5 non hydro in 2008)

Iceland (100% renewable, with 26.27% geothermal in 2009).

Kenya (62.59% renewable, with 21.06% non hydro in 2008)

Kyrgyzstan (90.85% hydro in 2008)

Lao PDR (92.46% hydro in 2008)

Latvia (62.23% renewable with 1.96% non hydro in 2008)

Lesotho (100% hydro in 2008)

Madagascar (66.67% hydro in 2008)

Malawi (86.31% hydro in 2008)

Mozambique (99.87% hydro in 2008)

Myanmar (62.05% hydro in 2008)

Namibia (70.91% hydro in 2008)

Nepal (99.67% hydro in 2008)

New Zealand (72.52% renewable, including 15.42% non hydro in 2009)

Norway (97.11% renewable, including 0.93% non hydro in 2009)

Paraguay (100.00% hydro in 2008), exporting 90% of generated electricity (54.91 TWh in 2008)

Peru (60.53% renewable, including 1.47% non hydro in 2008)

Sweden (60.42% renewable, including 10.58% non hydro in 2009)

Tajikistan (98.25% hydro in 2008)

Tanzania (61.45% hydro in 2008)

Uganda (74.77% hydro in 2008)

Uruguay (61.98% renewable, with 9.33 non hydro in 2008)

Venezuela (69.57% hydro in 2008)

Zambia (99.69% hydro in 2008)

SOURCE: CleanTechnica

Image Credit: KEITH, Wiki Commons

  • Twisters

    Not sure about the accuracy of these figures; in Sweden for example, renewables share was 47% in 2009 according to Swedish govt, not 60.4% (http://www.government.se/sb/d/16022). Also it’s kind of ridiculous to claim the DR Congo as a renewables success story when only 10% of households have access to electricity… Nevertheless it shows that renewables can work, at least up to a point.

    • jabolitho

      +1 to you for making those key points.

      Big dams in DRC could be horrendous– you’ve got forest loss of one of the world’s last significant rainforests, and you could threaten the ‘river apes’ ie the Bonobos, homo sapiens closest living relative, who only survive in DRC.

  • Twisters

    Not sure about the accuracy of these figures; in Sweden for example, renewables share was 47% in 2009 according to Swedish govt, not 60.4% (http://www.government.se/sb/d/16022). Also it’s kind of ridiculous to claim the DR Congo as a renewables success story when only 10% of households have access to electricity… Nevertheless it shows that renewables can work, at least up to a point.

    • jabolitho

      +1 to you for making those key points.

      Big dams in DRC could be horrendous– you’ve got forest loss of one of the world’s last significant rainforests, and you could threaten the ‘river apes’ ie the Bonobos, homo sapiens closest living relative, who only survive in DRC.

  • Twisters

    Not sure about the accuracy of these figures; in Sweden for example, renewables share was 47% in 2009 according to Swedish govt, not 60.4% (http://www.government.se/sb/d/16022). Also it’s kind of ridiculous to claim the DR Congo as a renewables success story when only 10% of households have access to electricity… Nevertheless it shows that renewables can work, at least up to a point.

    • jabolitho

      +1 to you for making those key points.

      Big dams in DRC could be horrendous– you’ve got forest loss of one of the world’s last significant rainforests, and you could threaten the ‘river apes’ ie the Bonobos, homo sapiens closest living relative, who only survive in DRC.

  • Twisters

    Not sure about the accuracy of these figures; in Sweden for example, renewables share was 47% in 2009 according to Swedish govt, not 60.4% (http://www.government.se/sb/d/16022). Also it’s kind of ridiculous to claim the DR Congo as a renewables success story when only 10% of households have access to electricity… Nevertheless it shows that renewables can work, at least up to a point.

    • jabolitho

      +1 to you for making those key points.

      Big dams in DRC could be horrendous– you’ve got forest loss of one of the world’s last significant rainforests, and you could threaten the ‘river apes’ ie the Bonobos, homo sapiens closest living relative, who only survive in DRC.

  • jabolitho

    Hydro has a number of challenges.

    It can cause huge disruption and deforestation. It can take decades to offset the carbon emission from that latter. If there is significant loss of biodiversity (or the flooding of archaeolical sites) the negatives can outweigh the positives. In a country like Canada significant destruction of aboriginal heritage.

    It is also seasonal. Highly seasonal in many climates.

    The best use of hydro is probably a la Dinworic in Wales, ie as pumped storage, coupled with intermittent technologies like wind and solar.

    That chart is interesting, but would be also interesting if we included *nuclear* resources. For example Ontario is c. 30% hydro, but include nuclear and it is c. 80% carbon free electricity.

  • jabolitho

    Hydro has a number of challenges.

    It can cause huge disruption and deforestation. It can take decades to offset the carbon emission from that latter. If there is significant loss of biodiversity (or the flooding of archaeolical sites) the negatives can outweigh the positives. In a country like Canada significant destruction of aboriginal heritage.

    It is also seasonal. Highly seasonal in many climates.

    The best use of hydro is probably a la Dinworic in Wales, ie as pumped storage, coupled with intermittent technologies like wind and solar.

    That chart is interesting, but would be also interesting if we included *nuclear* resources. For example Ontario is c. 30% hydro, but include nuclear and it is c. 80% carbon free electricity.

  • jabolitho

    Hydro has a number of challenges.

    It can cause huge disruption and deforestation. It can take decades to offset the carbon emission from that latter. If there is significant loss of biodiversity (or the flooding of archaeolical sites) the negatives can outweigh the positives. In a country like Canada significant destruction of aboriginal heritage.

    It is also seasonal. Highly seasonal in many climates.

    The best use of hydro is probably a la Dinworic in Wales, ie as pumped storage, coupled with intermittent technologies like wind and solar.

    That chart is interesting, but would be also interesting if we included *nuclear* resources. For example Ontario is c. 30% hydro, but include nuclear and it is c. 80% carbon free electricity.

  • jabolitho

    Hydro has a number of challenges.

    It can cause huge disruption and deforestation. It can take decades to offset the carbon emission from that latter. If there is significant loss of biodiversity (or the flooding of archaeolical sites) the negatives can outweigh the positives. In a country like Canada significant destruction of aboriginal heritage.

    It is also seasonal. Highly seasonal in many climates.

    The best use of hydro is probably a la Dinworic in Wales, ie as pumped storage, coupled with intermittent technologies like wind and solar.

    That chart is interesting, but would be also interesting if we included *nuclear* resources. For example Ontario is c. 30% hydro, but include nuclear and it is c. 80% carbon free electricity.

  • jabolitho

    And it just struck me DPRK (North Korea) is on that list.

    Satellite photos show the lights literally ‘winking out’ over NK, as declining coal production due to mine flooding, and silting up of key dams, means the country is literally regressing into the pre industrial age.

    The nation is a horror, a giant prison camp full of starving people, held there to keep megalomaniacs in power. It’s also an environmental disaster area, as starving people have deforested it.

    I also would not trust any statistic the government puts out.

  • jabolitho

    And it just struck me DPRK (North Korea) is on that list.

    Satellite photos show the lights literally ‘winking out’ over NK, as declining coal production due to mine flooding, and silting up of key dams, means the country is literally regressing into the pre industrial age.

    The nation is a horror, a giant prison camp full of starving people, held there to keep megalomaniacs in power. It’s also an environmental disaster area, as starving people have deforested it.

    I also would not trust any statistic the government puts out.

  • jabolitho

    And it just struck me DPRK (North Korea) is on that list.

    Satellite photos show the lights literally ‘winking out’ over NK, as declining coal production due to mine flooding, and silting up of key dams, means the country is literally regressing into the pre industrial age.

    The nation is a horror, a giant prison camp full of starving people, held there to keep megalomaniacs in power. It’s also an environmental disaster area, as starving people have deforested it.

    I also would not trust any statistic the government puts out.

  • jabolitho

    And it just struck me DPRK (North Korea) is on that list.

    Satellite photos show the lights literally ‘winking out’ over NK, as declining coal production due to mine flooding, and silting up of key dams, means the country is literally regressing into the pre industrial age.

    The nation is a horror, a giant prison camp full of starving people, held there to keep megalomaniacs in power. It’s also an environmental disaster area, as starving people have deforested it.

    I also would not trust any statistic the government puts out.

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