logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2023
14m 10s

This country runs on 98 percent renewabl...

TED
About this episode

Fifteen years ago, Uruguay was experiencing an energy crisis brought on by its reliance on fossil fuels; today, the nation produces 98 percent of its electricity from renewable sources (and even exports extra energy to neighboring countries). How did they turn things around so quickly? Uruguay's former secretary of energy, Ramón Méndez Galain, explains how they pulled off this unprecedented shift -- and shares how any other country can do the same.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
How I found resilience as my life fell apart | Jane Marie Chen
Entrepreneur and TED Fellow Jane Marie Chen started a company that created a low-cost portable incubator for premature babies in underserved communities, with the goal of saving more than one million babies around the world. But when a major setback at the company led to burnout, ... Show More
11 m
Yesterday
How to raise kids who can handle hard things | Kathryn Hecht
Could exposing kids to their fears help them thrive later on in life? Exploring the science of exposure therapy, pediatric psychologist Kathryn Hecht shows how encouraging children to handle discomfort builds confidence and resilience. Through personal stories and practical strat ... Show More
18m 42s
Jan 20
3 possible futures for AI — which will we choose? | Alvin W. Graylin, Manoush Zomorodi
After decades working in technology across both the US and China, Alvin W. Graylin sees three possible paths for the future of AI: one where tech giants create a class of trillionaires, one where competition escalates into war or one where humanity builds and shares this technolo ... Show More
11m 45s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
A man, a plan, wind power, Uruguay
In 2007, Uruguay had a massive problem with no obvious fix. The economy of this country of 3.5 million people was growing, but there wasn't enough energy to power all that growth. Ramón Méndez Galain was, at the time, a particle physicist, but he wanted to apply his scientific mi ... Show More
23m 5s
Apr 2024
Episode 82
The Angry Clean Energy Guy on two recent, and historic, renewable energy milestones many thought impossible. First, solar, wind and hydro power exceeded 100% of California's electricity demand on an almost daily basis over a sustained period of several weeks. Second, also in Cali ... Show More
20m 47s
Mar 2024
Would green hydrogen be a drain on Uruguay's water sources?
The government of Uruguay has launched ambitious plans to make hydrogen and green fuels.The country generates far more of its electricity from renewables than most countries - Uruguay produces more than 90% of its electricity from sustainable resources, like wind. And that, the g ... Show More
18m 19s
Oct 2018
How the 2008 Financial Crisis Shaped Clean Energy
<p>Ten years ago this week, stock markets around the world cratered as fears grew that the global economy was headed into a deep, dark recession.</p><p>Alan Greenspan called it “a once-in-a-century credit tsunami.”</p><p>Today, we are still feeling the economic and geopolitical c ... Show More
1h 1m
Sep 2023
How green hydrogen could be the go-to fuel for the energy transition
Renewables are having a moment. Wind and solar capacity in the US went up 13 gigawatts last year, now totaling more than 238 gigawatts nationwide. And last year's Inflation Reduction Act is helping to move the needle in a big way.But there's a problem. For wind and solar to meet ... Show More
26m 51s
May 2022
California Gets To 100% Renewable Electricity. Almost.
<p>In this week's episode, the gang discuss nuclear power: is it a solution for providing energy security, or could it make the problem worse? Given that many consuming countries need to import most of their uranium, does relying on nuclear power create new sources of fragility? ... Show More
53m 22s
Oct 2022
The Current State of Investment in the Energy Transition
<p>The world is facing a great financial strain - what does this mean for the investment in the energy transition?</p><p>On this episode of the Energy Gang, host Ed Crooks is joined by Nneka Kibuule from Aligned Climate Capital, and&nbsp;Sam Scroggins from Lazard.&nbsp;</p><p>The ... Show More
57m 11s
Dec 2022
Is sugarcane the answer to Africa's electricity problems?
Whether you're in South Africa, Nigeria or Egypt, power outages are a frequent inconvenience. As energy demands rise across the continent, generating enough power to keep the lights on is an ongoing challenge. Eswatini is one of the countries trying a new approach - a method call ... Show More
12m 46s
Sep 2020
Renewables Beat Fossils on Europe's Grid
<p>In the first half of 2020, renewables beat out fossil fuels on the grid in Europe for the first time. They didn’t only beat out coal -- they beat out all fossil fuels put together. We’ll look at what the milestone means.</p><p>Then, 30 major companies have come together in a n ... Show More
50m 11s
Dec 2022
What Does a Split US Congress Mean for the Energy Transition?
<p>The year is quickly coming to a close and there’s a lot going on in the world of energy.&nbsp;</p><p>On this episode of the Energy Gang, host Ed Crooks is joined for the first time by Jackie Forrest of the ARC Energy Research Institute and returning guest Robbie Orvis of Energ ... Show More
1 h