Costa Rica Will Become The First Nation In The World To Completely Eliminate Fossil Fuels

[rainman + 263]

In May, the country's new president, 38-year-old former journalist Carlos Alvarado announced the plan to ban fossil fuels during his inauguration speech. "When we reach 200 years of independent life we will take Costa Rica forward and celebrate… that we've removed gasoline and diesel from our transportation," he promised. Over 99 percent of Costa Rica's electricity is currently generated through renewable energy sources. However, achieving zero-carbon transport, one of any country's big environmental challenges, will be arduous. According to Jose Daniel Lara, a Costa Rican energy researcher at the University of California-Berkeley, the complete elimination of fossil fuels in just a few years — the president's goal — is unlikely.

[ThunderBlade + 231]

For now, he announced a plan to eliminate, not a ban. Within 3 years...

[Petar + 76]

Objective is to only use renewable energy within their local transportation.

[Pavel + 384]

I wouldn't mind living in Costa Rica. Maybe it's time to move.... 

[franco + 96]

So, what's their plans are? They will only drive Tesla's cars and bikes over there?

[jpZelabal + 63]

Hm... they're going to destroy rivers with hydro power instead, or have nuclear power?  The first is just as bad and the second is even worse.

[pinto + 293]

Nice idea CR. Are you saying no more flying there?  No plastics in hospitals?  No cell phones?  All travel to and from using renewables?  Food distribution only using renewables? Basically (if my questions are correct) they have reverted to the 18th century

[50 shades of black + 254]

Awesome! Pura Vida !!!

[damirUSBiH + 327]

4 countries that are almost entirely powered by renewable energy:-
1. Iceland  
2. Paraguay 
3. Norway  
4. Costa Rica

[MJG 0]

If this guy is serious and not just appealing to his liberal base,....then CR is doomed.  You can't continue to operate in the modern world without oil used in some critical applications.  Not a serious proposal.  Political dream... 

[markslawson + 1,042]

Costa Rica gets most of its electricity from hydro power and geothermal (the country has volcanoes). A few per cent comes from solar and wind - hence the 100 per cent renewable, or at least 100 pc until the next drought. Rainfall varies a lot. But eliminating fossil fuels from transport would be nearly impossible in any realistic time frame. As I understand it, the country has very few hybrid or electric cars. The country should start with a realistic policy, such as replacing all buses with electric buses within so many years or whatever, and announce details about how it intends to do it and the cost. Otherwise the president's declaration is just more hot air.

[Dan Warnick + 6,100]

11 hours ago, markslawson said:

Costa Rica gets most of its electricity from hydro power and geothermal (the country has volcanoes). A few per cent comes from solar and wind - hence the 100 per cent renewable, or at least 100 pc until the next drought. Rainfall varies a lot. But eliminating fossil fuels from transport would be nearly impossible in any realistic time frame. As I understand it, the country has very few hybrid or electric cars. The country should start with a realistic policy, such as replacing all buses with electric buses within so many years or whatever, and announce details about how it intends to do it and the cost. Otherwise the president's declaration is just more hot air.

I believe the president is onto something here, and it totally aligns with the fact, that has recently been confirmed by his enlightened administration, that the world is indeed flat.......:(  (sarcasm intended)

 

Edited July 24, 2018 by Dan Warnick
Sarcasm clarification added

[TreeHugger + 1]

There is some very attractive geology offshore on the Caribbean side. In the future perhaps Coast Rica can be an oil and gas producing/exporting country that gets most of its energy from renewables.

[Guillaume Albasini + 851]

The rapid growth of Costa Rica car fleet is causing huge traffic jams in San Jose and rising the oil imports. Renewables account for close to 100% of electricity generation but only 25% of total energy consumption.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/05/costa-rica-renewable-energy-oil-cars

The switch to electric cars is a way to reduce oil imports but it will take some time. Now less than 2% of the cars are EV's and the country has only 20 charging stations.

In January Costa Rica has adopted a new law to incentivize electric transport with a long-term view to eliminating hydrocarbon-powered vehicles in the country. The initiative eliminates sales, customs and circulation taxes for electric vehicles and allows them to use municipal parking facilities free of charge.

http://www.ticotimes.net/2018/01/26/costa-rica-adopts-new-electric-transport-law-to-reduce-emissions

Costa Rica is trying to replicate the incentives that helped to rise the rate of EV adoption in Norway.