Uruguay did what most nations still call impossible:
it built a power grid that runs almost entirely on renewables
—at half the cost of fossil fuels.
The physicist who led that transformation says the same playbook could work anywhere
—if governments have the courage to change the rules.
For Ramon Méndez Galain,
the energy transition isn’t just about climate
—it’s about economics.
Uruguay’s shift to renewables, he argues,
demonstrated that clean energy can be cheaper, more stable, and create more jobs than fossil fuels.
Once the country adjusted the playing field that had long favored oil and gas,
renewables outperformed on every front:
halving costs,
creating 50,000 jobs,
and protecting the economy from price shocks.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2025/10/19/uruguays-renewable-charge-a-small-nation-a-big-lesson-for-the-world/
"The question is not whether renewables can work. The question is whether governments have the courage to change the rules. If they do, the rest is straightforward.”
Méndez Galain
The world overlooks Uruguay’s example at its own risk. In fact, renewables are ready, the playbook is in place, and the advantages are tangible. The only missing ingredient is the political will, which is often clouded by self-interest and money.
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