A Few Words of Warning When Going Down the Green Path…
Twenty years ago, Estancia Los Potreros made the bold decision to step away from paraffin power and kerosene chaos, embracing the modern world of electricity. We didn’t know much about energy back then - terms like ampere, watt, and volt were foreign to us - but what we did know was that, due to our remote location far from the grid, we’d need to turn to alternative, green energy. The idea of solar panels, windmills, and even a water turbine sounded fantastic! What we didn’t realize was how expensive the journey would be, especially in a country with no energy subsidies.
We took our first step by installing two 800-watt windmills and a 4,500-watt inverter - whatever that was. Along with these, we received 16 deep-cycle batteries (we were told). Cables went up, bulbs were installed, and we purchased fridges, freezers, even a television. Computers worked, and we even had a flashy satellite system that connected us to the internet.
But soon, we ran out of power.
We bought our first fuel generator as a backup. But with no wind during the summer, we needed more. Solar panels came next, followed by a water turbine (though you need a lot of water, and we had a drought). A second generator was bought. Then, lightning struck and fried our entire system. So, we bought an even more powerful generator. Our dream of fully sustainable energy seemed shattered, as 90% of our energy was coming from fuel, and only 10% came from a patchwork of alternative sources that didn’t quite work or that we couldn’t quite figure out.
That’s when Héctor, an electrician who specialized in alternative energies, entered the picture. More importantly, he was a professor at a local university who could explain things in terms we could understand. Using analogies like water-filled pipes, diameters, and pressure, Héctor helped us realize that our limited energy production could only meet a limited number of needs. We had to start from scratch.
Our first step was to switch out all the bulbs for low-energy and eventually LED lights. We ditched the old fridges and freezers, and the television was turned off for good. This was our freedom.
Fast forward 10 years, and much of the old system is now used as backup or for powering outposts on the estancia. What once filled a room with equipment became just a small box on a wall, generator use was minimal but we still relied on a generator to get throug the night and the colder cloudy days . We’ve were able to invest in modern fridges and freezers. Water heating powered by the sun and gas usage halved.
And this year in 2025, we’ve upgraded our system once again to include 21 new solar panels, upgrading our system entirely. This has allowed us to reduce our petrol consumption by 80%, bringing us one step closer to our goal of not needing a backup generator at all.
There will undoubtedly be more adventures on this green path, but we’re excited about the progress we’ve made - and the sustainable future that lies ahead.
