Oportunidades y Barreras Domesticas a Las Energías Limpias en Chile

The report analyzes the Chilean electricity sector's transition toward clean energies, specifically Non-Conventional Renewable Energies (NCRE). It details the current dominance of fossil fuels and large hydro, the impact of the 2008 Law 20.257 establishing renewable quotas, and the role of CORFO in providing pre-investment incentives. While noting a positive investment climate and growing interest from foreign investors, the document identifies significant barriers, including high economic risk due to the lack of stable long-term pricing, high market concentration, and limited access to financing for small developers. It concludes by recommending a more comprehensive national strategy that internalizes environmental externalities and enhances technical and human capital.

• As of December 2007, clean energies accounted for only 3.1% of the installed capacity in the national electrical system, with biomass (2%) and mini-hydroelectricity (1%) being the primary contributors.
• Chile's electricity generation is heavily dependent on imports, with approximately 40% based on imported fossil fuels, and overall energy needs reaching 72% import dependency (98% for oil, 92% for coal, and 74% for natural gas).
• Law 20.257, approved in 2008, mandates a minimum quota of clean energies in the energy 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.
• CORFO provides specific financial incentives for clean energy, including pre-investment subsidies for preliminary and advanced studies (up to 50% of costs) and soft loans co-financed with Germany's KfW bank.
• A major economic barrier is the lack of stable long-term prices, which increases risk for investors, particularly for wind projects with low plant factors that may be forced to buy energy at volatile spot market prices to meet contracts.
• Clean energy projects face a 'dramatic shortage' of financing instruments, high spreads, and requirements for extra-project guarantees, especially for small developers.

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} }