All that glitters is not green: Costa Rica's renewables conceal dependence on oil

Guardian UK ^ | 05 January 2017 | Lindsay Fendt

[Lorianne]

Costa Rica produced 98% of its electricity last year without fossil fuels but the sustainable success story unravels with the rising demand for gasoline and cars

Unless you’ve avoided social media for the last week, you probably know that last year, Costa Rica was able to produce 98% of its electricity without oil – a feat that most larger and wealthier countries have never accomplished.

Over the past few days, reports of Costa Rica’s 271 days of fossil-fuel free electricity have made their way to almost every corner of the internet.

The news has bolstered the Central American country’s already outstanding environmental reputation – but the excitement has masked another less-than-green truth about Costa Rica’s energy use: the country’s demand for oil is actually growing.

The country uses a mix of hydro, wind and geothermal to power the homes of its 4.9 million people, but because of its gasoline-dependent transportation sector, renewables make up less than a quarter of the nation’s total energy use.

According to Costa Rica’s State of the Region report, the country has approximately 287 cars per 1,000 people, surpassing both the world and Latin American average.

Hybrids and electric cars that can feed off the renewable electricity grid make up less than 2% of those vehicles, and according to the national oil refinery, gas purchases increased by 11% in 2016.

This explosive growth in private vehicles is causing more than just pollution. Traffic in the capital, San José, has become almost unmanageable, with the city earning the worst ranking for congestion in Latin America, according to a study by the navigation app Waze.

[Lorianne]

In other words, you can't run a Western style high energy consumption society on any combination of so-called renewable energy.

You can probably run a far less high consumption energy society on renewables.

It is all a trade off.

(How much fossil fuel is required to build those dams and manufacture those windmills?)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

What Costa Rica REALLY needs is high speed rail. That’ll solve ALL of their problems.

*SMIRK* ;)

[minnesota_bound]

Size comparison:
http://www.mylifeelsewhere.com/country-size-comparison/united-states/costa-rica

[Bob]

How does 271 days of fossil-free electricity become 98%? Am I missing something here?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I was kidding. I know where Costa Rica is; I know its size. A trip there is on my Bucket List for bird watching.

The EnviroWeenies claim high speed rail is the answer to everything, ‘environmental’ so why not this? ;)