Outlook 2025: Uruguay’s approach to the ‘all energies’ future

The country’s technology-neutral position and competitive business environment mean it is looking to be surfing the second wave of the energy transition while others are still grappling with the first

The small South American nation of Uruguay applies two basic—and quite differentiated—philosophies as it approaches the energy future. First, Uruguay takes the view that development of the nation’s energy resources should be technology neutral. That is, no specific energy source is seen as being ‘better’, with energy development thus driven by local applicability, economics and market dynamics. As compared to countries where, in pursuit of the energy transition, a technology preference often comes first and development choices then flow from the (sometimes non-commercial) biases the stated preference creates. Second, Uruguay’s various potential energy resources are considered to be additive,