Why is solar power important in Chile?

Solar power in Chile is an increasingly important source of energy. Total installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Chile reached 8.36 GW in 2023. Solar energy provided 19.9% of national electricity generation in Chile in 2023, compared to less than 0.1% in 2013.

Is there an alternative to solar energy in Chile?

Chile has begun to explore an alternative. Both Cerro Dominador and the Alba Project are powered by so-called solar salts, extracted from the Atacama Desert, composed of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate. When melted and kept in a liquid state, they allow energy to be stored.

Does Chile have a solar thermal tower?

Chile’s Atacama desert is home to the only solar thermal tower in Latin America. The imposing 240-meter construction is one of the pillars of the country’s ambitious green energy program that began in 2019 and aims to completely replace fossil fuels by 2040.

Why are solar panels important to Chile's green hydrogen industry?

Solar panels pictured in Chile's Atacama Desert are crucial to the country's green hydrogen industry. Chile has set an ambitious goal of converting 70% of its total energy consumption to renewables by 2030 and pledged to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Will Chile achieve net-zero emissions by 2050?

Last December, Chile’s centre-right government published the country’s first energy transition strategy, which provided targets for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, including accelerating solar, wind and geothermal energy across the country.

How much of Chile's energy will come from Sun and wind?

"A decade ago, no one would have imagined that more than a third of Chile's energy would come from the sun and wind before 2030," the former Environment Minister of Chile Marcelo Mena says. “It was seen as something ambitious and it has already been surpassed.”