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Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

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Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#191

Post by macspoofing »

mssundaram wrote: post #187
macspoofing wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Is there an easy answer as to why Costa Rica is doing so well? Yes. Anytime you see an article that says "X country runs on 100% renewable" ... it's hydro-electric power every time. So if your country is blessed with a type of geography that makes hydro electric power viable, you're golden! Solar and Wind cannot power a modern economy without fossil fuel back-up.

I'm ignorant - why can't solar and wind provide enough power? What about somewhere like Arizona/Nevada/Utah?

Because those are intermittent power sources. That is, there are times when the wind isn't blowing, and sun isn't shining, and there is no battery technology (now or coming) that is capable of storing enough energy to bridge this intermittency gap. This is why solar and wind need fossil fuel back-up. Natural gas companies are some of the biggest proponents of solar and wind projects.

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#192

Post by rm_-rf_slash »

pier25 wrote: post #185
rm_-rf_slash wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Systems of exploitation tend to be durable and adaptable over time, producing similar outcomes even if the overall shape appears to change drastically. For example, the U.S. Constitution’s 13th Amendment freed the slaves, but included an exception on forced labor for those convicted of a crime. Surprise surprise, former Confederate states make up crimes (like loitering) that are only enforced on Black people, and the…

> Systems of exploitation tend to be durable and adaptable over time, producing similar outcomes even if the overall shape appears to change drastically. Yes, because the fundamental problem is changing the culture, not the "shape". In Mexico (the example I know first hand) corruption is definitely a cultural problem. It happens at all levels because it is culturally acceptable to bend/ignore the rules for personal g…

A film you may find interesting if you haven’t seen it is the Brazilian crime thriller “Tropa de Elite 2 – O Inimigo Agora é Outro”, which not wishing to spoil anything, was a fascinating exploration of how systems of corruption can remain even as everyone involved gets moved out; the vacuum is filled as quickly as it’s made.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_Squad:_The_Enemy_Withi...

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#193

Post by gamegoblin »

pier25 wrote: post #186
gamegoblin wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The book has sections about Mexico as well. The basic gist is that the fundamental institutions that result in the inequality have persisted, even if the government has been overturned several times. The overarching theme of the book is about what types of incentives result from various types of institutions, and how positive and negative feedback loops can form therein. Ultimately, Mexico has suffered significantly…

I would like to read more about this. Which of the two books has this chapter on Mexico?

Here is a pdf of Why Nations Fail. Ctrl+f for "A tale of two constitutions" and read until you see the next chapter title "Theories that don't work".

https://www.bau.edu.jo/UserPortal/UserProfile/PostsAttach/33...

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#194

Post by pelasaco »

rjmunro wrote: post #152

What about Paraguay? It's been running on 100% renewable electricity since the late 1980s, and it has a larger population. In fact you could say it is running on 300% renewable electricity, because it has large Hydro electric dam, exports around 70% of what it generates to Brazil and Argentina and only uses 30% itself.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itaipu_Dam

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#195

Post by pier25 »

rm_-rf_slash wrote: post #192
pier25 wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Systems of exploitation tend to be durable and adaptable over time, producing similar outcomes even if the overall shape appears to change drastically. Yes, because the fundamental problem is changing the culture, not the "shape". In Mexico (the example I know first hand) corruption is definitely a cultural problem. It happens at all levels because it is culturally acceptable to bend/ignore the rules for personal g…

A film you may find interesting if you haven’t seen it is the Brazilian crime thriller “Tropa de Elite 2 – O Inimigo Agora é Outro”, which not wishing to spoil anything, was a fascinating exploration of how systems of corruption can remain even as everyone involved gets moved out; the vacuum is filled as quickly as it’s made. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_Squad:_The_Enemy_Withi...

Thanks for the recomendation!

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#196

Post by jccooper »

estebarb wrote: post #148
TacticalCoder wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well sure but then it relies on the US army. Costa Rica is allied with the US and foolish would be the country trying to declare war to Costa Rica because it'd very probably face the full wrath of Uncle Sam's army. I'm not saying setting up an alliance with the country that has the biggest army in the world and then doing without an army is a bad thing... What I'm saying though is that it'd probably be very different…

Technically it relies on the TIAR (interamerican treaty of reciprocal defense). Edit: fixed acronym. Thanks

TIAR. ITAR is the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#197

Post by bufferoverflow »

jjk166 wrote: post #169
HideousKojima wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>So long as you can raise an army at some future point in time should the need arise, this issue seems moot. By the time you could cobble together an army any modern military would have already conquered you, especially if you have super strict civilian firearm laws like Costa Rica that make putting together defensive militias much, much harder.

But no one else has a standing army in this scenario so there is no such modern military that can conquer you before you can remilitarize. The moment one country starts militarizing in a world without militaries, you know their intentions and can start remilitarizing to counter. But let's say Costa Rica had a standing army - are they going to stop that modern military from conquering them? Probably not, so why waste…

No, in this scenario someone made an army and conquered you, and now they own you and your resources.

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#198

Post by ffhhj »

lr4444lr wrote: post #100
lesterzone wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Costa Rican resident here. Costa Rica invest a lot in renewables. Tourism is a huge income. There are lots of places to visit. Hundreds of volcanoes, 7 active. The climate, it can rain and then sunny...several times a day. Costa Rica exports technology. Intel, MS,Google...Several start ups...lots of outsourcing jobs.

What do you think is holding back its GDP per capita from competing with the top rankers?

I'm not the OP, but while the small population in CR is enthusiastic about technology and education, the cultural trend is having a simple and happy life, not being overly ambitious, and there isn't much artistic/technological creativity or innovation. The best workers easily find jobs in other countries: Canada, USA, UK, Germany, Taiwan, New Zealand, and so on.

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#199

Post by jjk166 »

ctdonath wrote: post #190
jjk166 wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But no one else has a standing army in this scenario so there is no such modern military that can conquer you before you can remilitarize. The moment one country starts militarizing in a world without militaries, you know their intentions and can start remilitarizing to counter. But let's say Costa Rica had a standing army - are they going to stop that modern military from conquering them? Probably not, so why waste…

Germany, between WWI & WWII, officially has no military to worry about. Was able to create a Europe-conquering army very quickly.

So would you describe the Maginot line as a good investment?

Re: Costa Rica Has Run on 100% Renewable Electricity for 299 Days

#200

Post by jjk166 »

bufferoverflow wrote: post #197
jjk166 wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But no one else has a standing army in this scenario so there is no such modern military that can conquer you before you can remilitarize. The moment one country starts militarizing in a world without militaries, you know their intentions and can start remilitarizing to counter. But let's say Costa Rica had a standing army - are they going to stop that modern military from conquering them? Probably not, so why waste…

No, in this scenario someone made an army and conquered you, and now they own you and your resources.

> but what happens if nobody has a standing army?

The moment someone has a standing army, we are, by definition, no longer in a situation where nobody has a standing army.

If someone can magically instantaneously create an army, then Costa Rica should just do that the moment they're threatened.

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