A report by Our World in Data revealed that Chile has not only positioned itself among the countries with the highest levels of solar energy consumption, but is also leading the global ranking of solar energy use.
Solar power generation accounted for an unprecedented share of Chile’s energy matrix in 2023, exceeding coal and hydroelectric power for the first time.
According to a study released by electric power generators’ association Generadoras de Chile, during the first half of last year, renewable energy became the country’s main source of electricity generation, with solar power at the forefront of this energy revolution.
Chile’s renewable energy industry has also generated opportunities for the development of green hydrogen and energy storage, attracting investment from both local and foreign companies.
The evolution of solar energy in Chile
According to a report by Our World in Data, Chile has not only positioned itself among the countries with the highest levels of solar energy consumption, but is also leading the global ranking of solar energy use.
This is because in addition to capturing a large amount of solar energy, the country has also been able to use it to generate electricity in an efficient way, highlighted Chilean newspaper Diario La Tercera.
The report shows the evolution of Chile’s solar energy use since 2013—the year in which the percentage of solar energy used as a portion of total energy consumption was first reported—up to the current figure of 7.59%, the highest of all countries in the study, including the United Kingdom, China, Japan, and the Netherlands.
This figure also positions Chile above the OECD average, which is considerably lower at 2.64%, and above the European Union average of 3.34%.
«Chile’s commitment to solar energy is an ambivalent issue. Although we have made significant progress in the adoption of renewable energy, and especially solar power, there is still a lot of work to do,» said Camila Svec, COO of Chilean renewable energy manufacturing company CleanLight.
«We’re still facing major challenges in terms of regulation, infrastructure, and government support. We need a more robust commitment and specific actions to truly harness the potential of solar energy and progress toward a more sustainable and energy independent future,» she added.
Svec also emphasized the fact that Chile’s leading position in the ranking «cannot be based on the indiscriminate exploitation of our natural resources. We must adopt a shared responsibility mindset and work together with all stakeholders to ensure that our technological progress is aligned with our sustainability commitment,» she concluded.
%2017.11.51.png)
