Oportunidades y Barreras Domesticas a Las Energías Limpias en Chile

This report analyzes the opportunities and barriers for clean energy, specifically Non-Conventional Renewable Energies (NCRE), in Chile's electricity sector. It examines the current energy matrix, regulatory frameworks, investment trends, and the impact of climate change policies, identifying a transition from a fossil-fuel-dependent system toward a more diversified one supported by legal quotas and financial incentives.

• As of December 2007, clean energies—primarily biomass and mini-hydroelectricity—accounted for only 3.1% of Chile's installed electrical capacity.
• Chile's electricity sector is highly concentrated; by 2006, three companies and their subsidiaries (Endesa, Colbún, and AES Gener) controlled 89% of the installed public service capacity of the Sistema Interconectado Central (SIC).
• The Law 20.257, approved in 2008, mandates a minimum quota of clean energy in the electricity matrix, starting at 5% of commercialized energy in 2010 and increasing to 10% by 2024.
• The electricity and heat sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG) in Chile, representing 27% of total emissions as of 2006.
• Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the energy sector (electricity, water, and steam) accounted for 20.3% of Chile's total FDI between 1990 and 2008, totaling US$ 13.182 million.
• The government of Chile made a voluntary commitment at the December 2009 Copenhagen Summit to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by the year 2020, with 18% of that reduction expected to come from the Renewable Energy Law and energy efficiency.
• CORFO provides pre-investment subsidies for NCRE projects, including a program for preliminary studies that covers up to 50% of the cost with a cap of US$ 60,000, and an advanced study program with a cap of US$ 160,000.
• Significant economic barriers persist for clean energy, including high investment costs and a lack of stable long-term prices, which increases risk for investors and limits access to financing.
• The Chilean market's high concentration acts as a barrier to new entrants, as traditional generators often develop their own clean energy projects to meet quotas, excluding smaller new players.
• There is a critical lack of technical data and human capital, such as the absence of updated solar resource measurements (the last basic measurement was in 1987) and inadequate wind measurement heights.

APA

Dufey, A. (2010). Oportunidades y Barreras Domesticas a Las Energías Limpias en Chile. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/chile_energy_es.pdf

Chicago

Dufey, Annie. Oportunidades y Barreras Domesticas a Las Energías Limpias en Chile. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/chile_energy_es.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dufey |first1=Annie |title=Oportunidades y Barreras Domesticas a Las Energías Limpias en Chile |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=17 January 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/chile_energy_es.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dufey2010oportunidades, author = {Dufey, Annie}, title = {{Oportunidades y Barreras Domesticas a Las Energías Limpias en Chile}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/chile_energy_es.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }