Our group has just returned from a fantastic trip to the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica! On our way to the coast and on our way back to campus, we got a chance to get a good look at some of the wind turbines that help power Costa Rica!
The towering turbines got me thinking about the impact wind power has in Costa Rica. Costa Rica relies almost entirely on renewable energy, over 99%. Renewable energy is just part of Costa Rica’s plan to be completely carbon neutral by 2050. Most of the renewable energy comes from hydropower.
However, wind power also provides a substantial portion of Costa Rica’s renewable energy, comprising 17% of all renewable energy production. It is the second-largest source of renewable energy in the country. Costa Rica was the first country to start producing wind energy in Latin America in 1996.
However, wind power also provides a substantial portion of Costa Rica’s renewable energy, comprising 17% of all renewable energy production. It is the second-largest source of renewable energy in the country. Costa Rica was the first country to start producing wind energy in Latin America in 1996.
Wind Force
Guanacaste leading wind generation
Of 18 wind farms in the country,
16
are located in Guanacaste
National electricity is
produced in the province
Guanacaste produces almost all of the wind power in Costa Rica. Guanacaste is also the only region in Costa Rica to produce energy using five different sources of renewable energy: biomass, wind, geothermal, solar, and hydro. The wind farms provide the communities around them with international prestige, employment, and profits. There is also a growing interest in creating tourism around wind farms. Other countries have already taken advantage of ecotourism around renewable energy by creating trails around wind turbines for biking, hiking, and horseback riding.
Sources
https://www.evwind.es/2019/01/12/wind-energy-in-costa-rica-new-wind-power-plant-in-guanacaste/65756
https://renewablesnow.com/news/costa-ricas-wind-capacity-climbs-to-4078-mw-639705/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in_Costa_Rica
https://newenergyevents.com/costa-rica-reaches-milestone-in-wind-energy-generation/
https://cleantechnica.com/2020/02/03/costa-rica-is-at-nearly-100-renewable-energy-for-electricity/
https://vozdeguanacaste.com/en/the-wind-blows-in-guanacastes-direction-but-is-it-beneficial/
