A few months ago, I traveled for more than five hours from Cartago to Guanacaste to attend a workshop on green hydrogen—a promising energy vector ideal for decarbonizing hard-to-electrify sectors, such as heavy transport or certain industries. It might seem like an excessive effort, but I believe it was a necessary decision. Contributing to Costa Rica’s just energy transition requires conviction, but above all, preparation.
In clean fuels, and particularly in green hydrogen, I found the intersection of my training in chemical and environmental engineering with my experience in international cooperation. After conducting research, attending workshops, and facilitating dialogue spaces, I reaffirm one conviction: education is the key for Costa Rica to become a hub of energy innovation that generates high-quality green jobs in the coming decades.
Potential and Educational Crisis
Costa Rica has unique credentials to position itself as a regional leader in the energy transition. More than 95% of its electricity matrix is renewable; it ranked third in innovation in Latin America according to the 2021 Global Innovation Index; and it was the top Latin American country in the 2024 Environmental Performance Index.
Costa Rica’s National Green Hydrogen Strategy presents an encouraging vision: to create at least 12 000 jobs and establish the country as a living laboratory for green hydrogen solutions. The real engine of this transition is human talent. Without young, innovative people trained in clean energy, engineering, economics, and social sciences, among other areas, this hub will remain just a promise.
On the other hand, the educational landscape raises alarms. According to a Manpower Group report, employers in the energy sector will struggle to fill vacancies in Costa Rica in 2025. The 10th State of Education Report warns that investment in education has fallen to historic lows, while the 2022 PISA results showed setbacks in reading, mathematics, and science.
In other words, while the demand for green jobs grows, the capacity of the educational system to prepare professionals decreases. If this trend is not reversed, Costa Rica risks missing strategic opportunities to strengthen its leadership in the energy transition.
A Space of Opportunities
On August 19, I contributed as a coordinating facilitator at the forum “Green Hydrogen in Costa Rica: Innovation and Youth”, organized by the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Costa Rica, the Costa Rican Hydrogen Association (ACH2), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Youth and Climate Change Network.
This opportunity was also made possible thanks to the support I received from the international youth leadership program Young Professional Fellowship Canada’25, which promotes the preparation and active voice of new generations in global debates. The event brought together key voices from academia, international cooperation, the private sector, and civil society, placing green hydrogen innovation and youth participation at the center of the discussion, while highlighting the importance of intersectoral exchange spaces.
At the forum, young people from different disciplines shared a common concern: “I want to learn more.” That statement reflects the genuine interest of a generation ready to join the energy transition, but it also underscores the urgency of expanding flexible learning options, diploma programs, short technical courses, and online classes to respond quickly to market demand.
The Future in Our Hands
If Costa Rica wants to establish itself as an energy hub, it must decisively confront the educational crisis, modernize academic offerings, invest consistently in talent development, and create leadership opportunities for young people.
The energy transition is not solely a technological matter. It is a human development project, one of employability and social cohesion. With partnerships between academia, the private sector, government, international cooperation, and youth, the country can not only export green hydrogen but also knowledge and high-value specialized services, which could differentiate Costa Rica regionally.
Green hydrogen represents a strategic opportunity for Costa Rica to generate employment, diversify the economy, and strengthen energy independence. But that future depends on an urgent decision: prioritizing education as a strategic pillar. Young talent exists and is motivated. What is missing is opening doors and creating the conditions for that potential to translate into innovation and development. The key lies in political will, transforming classrooms, and expanding multisectoral exchange spaces.
Costa Rica has the opportunity to be recognized not only for its natural wealth but also for developing leaders capable of guiding a just energy transition. The energy transition is not only about clean technologies; it is also about equipping people with the tools necessary to contribute to their country’s development.
A few months ago, I traveled for more than five hours from Cartago to Guanacaste to attend a workshop on green hydrogen—a promising energy vector ideal for decarbonizing hard-to-electrify sectors, such as heavy transport or certain industries. It might seem like an excessive effort, but I believe it was a necessary decision. Contributing to Costa Rica’s just energy transition requires conviction, but above all, preparation.
In clean fuels, and particularly in green hydrogen, I found the intersection of my training in chemical and environmental engineering with my experience in international cooperation. After conducting research, attending workshops, and facilitating dialogue spaces, I reaffirm one conviction: education is the key for Costa Rica to become a hub of energy innovation that generates high-quality green jobs in the coming decades.
Potential and Educational Crisis
Costa Rica has unique credentials to position itself as a regional leader in the energy transition. More than 95% of its electricity matrix is renewable; it ranked third in innovation in Latin America according to the 2021 Global Innovation Index; and it was the top Latin American country in the 2024 Environmental Performance Index.
Costa Rica’s National Green Hydrogen Strategy presents an encouraging vision: to create at least 12 000 jobs and establish the country as a living laboratory for green hydrogen solutions. The real engine of this transition is human talent. Without young, innovative people trained in clean energy, engineering, economics, and social sciences, among other areas, this hub will remain just a promise.
On the other hand, the educational landscape raises alarms. According to a Manpower Group report, employers in the energy sector will struggle to fill vacancies in Costa Rica in 2025. The 10th State of Education Report warns that investment in education has fallen to historic lows, while the 2022 PISA results showed setbacks in reading, mathematics, and science.
In other words, while the demand for green jobs grows, the capacity of the educational system to prepare professionals decreases. If this trend is not reversed, Costa Rica risks missing strategic opportunities to strengthen its leadership in the energy transition.
A Space of Opportunities
On August 19, I contributed as a coordinating facilitator at the forum “Green Hydrogen in Costa Rica: Innovation and Youth”, organized by the School of Chemical Engineering at the University of Costa Rica, the Costa Rican Hydrogen Association (ACH2), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Youth and Climate Change Network.
This opportunity was also made possible thanks to the support I received from the international youth leadership program Young Professional Fellowship Canada’25, which promotes the preparation and active voice of new generations in global debates. The event brought together key voices from academia, international cooperation, the private sector, and civil society, placing green hydrogen innovation and youth participation at the center of the discussion, while highlighting the importance of intersectoral exchange spaces.
At the forum, young people from different disciplines shared a common concern: “I want to learn more.” That statement reflects the genuine interest of a generation ready to join the energy transition, but it also underscores the urgency of expanding flexible learning options, diploma programs, short technical courses, and online classes to respond quickly to market demand.
The Future in Our Hands
If Costa Rica wants to establish itself as an energy hub, it must decisively confront the educational crisis, modernize academic offerings, invest consistently in talent development, and create leadership opportunities for young people.
The energy transition is not solely a technological matter. It is a human development project, one of employability and social cohesion. With partnerships between academia, the private sector, government, international cooperation, and youth, the country can not only export green hydrogen but also knowledge and high-value specialized services, which could differentiate Costa Rica regionally.
Green hydrogen represents a strategic opportunity for Costa Rica to generate employment, diversify the economy, and strengthen energy independence. But that future depends on an urgent decision: prioritizing education as a strategic pillar. Young talent exists and is motivated. What is missing is opening doors and creating the conditions for that potential to translate into innovation and development. The key lies in political will, transforming classrooms, and expanding multisectorial exchange spaces.
Costa Rica has the opportunity to be recognized not only for its natural wealth but also for developing leaders capable of guiding a just energy transition. The energy transition is not only about clean technologies; it is also about equipping people with the tools necessary to contribute to their country’s development.