San Jose, March 23 (teleSUR-RHC) Costa Rica has long be famed for its incredible wildlife and beautiful beaches. But on Sunday, the Central American island's green credentials shot through the roof after it managed to go 75 days using 100 percent renewable energy, a world record.

Heavy rainfall has powered four hydroelectric plants since the beginning of the year, meaning no fossil fuels have been burnt since December 2014.

Costa Rica has striven to lead the field in renewable energy, with its population of 4.8 million taking part in clean energy policies. Last year, 94 percent of the country's power came from renewable sources, 80 percent of which came from hydro-power.

However, renewable energy expert Jake Richardson warned that the tropical nation should switch to geothermal methods and not rely too heavily on hydro-power. “It’s good news that more geothermal will be coming on board, as there are obvious downsides of being too reliant on hydro-power, especially run-of-the-river systems, which can be hindered by seasonal changes in water flow,” he told Science Alert.

“Droughts can also severely impact power supplies. And there are also some environmental downsides to hydroelectric dams more generally, namely the impact on riparian ecosystems and passing fish.” Costa Rica aims to be carbon-neutral by 2021.