During our travels from La Fortuna to Monteverde we had the chance to see one of the many ways Costa Rica produces renewable energy, with windmills. Here we learned how Costa Rica generates almost all of its electricity from renewable energy sources including hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, wind turbines, and biofuels. Also that hydroelectricity is the country’s primary source of electricity generation, and geothermal and wind energy each contribute around 15 percent of the country’s energy supply. One of the most interesting things I learned was how the different renewable systems work together depending on environmental conditions. For example, during droughts hydroelectric production decreases because of lower water levels, so Costa Rica increases its reliance on wind and geothermal energy to fill the gap. In some situations they uses fossil fuels, but this only accounts for around 1 percent of electricity production. This flexibility allows Costa Rica to be one of the only countries that is “carbon neutral” with renewable energy production.
We focused mostly on wind energy since we stopped at the wind turbines and the economic implications. In the region we visited there are 106 wind turbines, but not all of them spin at the same time because they focus on only using the amount of energy necessary and no more. So in periods with lower energy demand, Costa Rica can decrease production across renewable systems to minimize wasted energy. Renewable energy is a pro in Costa Rica because they have ideal geography and weather. The rain contributes well for hydroelectric power, the volcanoes for geothermal energy, and the costal winds are beneficial for wind turbines. Wind production can also increase when hydroelectric output decreases like droughts by using more turbines at once. But the major pros are carbon neutrality and reduced dependence on fossil fuels enables the country to have their sustainable reputation.
Some challenges with renewable energy are that its production are dependent on unpredictable environmental conditions like rainfall and wind patterns. During droughts, Costa Rica encourages people to conserve electricity which can affect Ticos lives by limiting energy use because hydroelectric power decreases. I didn’t know that Costa Rica does not manufacture the turbines, instead they importing them from countries like Denmark, the United States, and Spain. I believe this is a con because it creates dependence on foreign manufacturing which can be expensive. Another challenge is the infrastructure and transportation of energy. In the United States a challenge is transporting renewable energy from where it is generated to cities where it’s used is difficult and politically controversial. Renewable energy also faces pushback from communities that oppose having turbines built near them only because they are “ugly”. This phenomenon is called “not in my backyard” mentality. Costa Rica proves renewable energy can create environmental and economic benefits because they prioritize sustainability and combine many renewable energy sources together.