The country boasts a variety of renewable sources, among which hydroelectric and geothermal stand out for contributing a total 4,626 GWh.

GWh is the abbreviation for gigawatt-hour, a unit of energy that is equivalent to one billion watt-hours (1,000,000,000 Wh). It is also equivalent to one million kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Hydroelectric plants generate 44.8 percent of energy among a whole gamut of possibilities running from solar, wind, biomass sources, among others, which according to experts guarantee environmental and social benefits in the short, medium and long term.

The breakdown of production shows that hydroelectric plants generated 2,073,590.11 gigawatt hours (GWh), or 44.82 percent of renewable energy and 28.3 percent of all sources.

Meanwhile, geothermal energy produces 1,401,150 GWh, 33.2 percent of renewables, and 19.1 percent of the total from all sources.

Further behind in terms of contribution is solar energy with 516,812.24 GWh, with an 11.1 percent share in renewable generation and seven percent of the matrix.

Other important contributions come from biomass, with 496,164.90 GWh and 6.7% of the matrix, wind power, with a 138,658.2 GWh output and a share of 1.9% of the total.

On the other hand, natural gas represented 28.2% of the energy matrix; thermal energy, 5.7%; while imports covered 2.7% of the country’s consumption.

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