Uruguay Achieves 99% Green Energy After Seeking the Lowest Price for Consumers

One of the most stable and prosperous South American countries has managed to virtually zero-out fossil fuel use and transition almost entirely to renewable energy—by not focusing on environmental goals.

The great folly of politics is believing that anything can be divorced from economics, and that within those economics, established laws are flexible.

In a strategy that acknowledges both of these maxims, Uruguay has, according to Forbes, divorced its energy mix from fossil fuels while saving money, reducing costs, and creating thousands of jobs.

“Climate policies fail when they are disconnected from economics. The transition works when it saves money and creates jobs,” said Ramon Méndez Galain, the country’s former energy minister who oversaw the energy transition.

Like most countries