Central & South America

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that January in South America featured dramatic weather contrasts with persistent floods and cloud cover in northern regions sharply reducing solar irradiance, while extreme heat, drought and wildfires in the south boosted sunlight yet also generated aerosol smoke that complicated irradiance outcomes. Severe storms, tornadoes and industrial fires further punctuated the month’s highly variable irradiance patterns across the continent.

A new decree issued by the Bolivian government amends regulations in force since 2021, enabling renewable projects between 1 MW and 6 MW to connect to medium-voltage networks. The provisions also establish a remuneration scheme with a stabilized price for energy injected into the system.

New rules from Mexico’s Secretaría de Energía require battery energy storage systems (BESS) to submit social impact assessments for the first time, with stricter obligations above 250 MWh.

Argentina added around 810 MW of solar PV capacity in 2025, bringing total installed PV capacity to 2,483 MW, according to data from Compañía Administradora del Mercado Mayorista Eléctrico (CAMMESA).

Renewable curtailment in Chile reached 6,084 GWh in 2025, up 7.8% year on year, underscoring mounting transmission congestion as the country’s power mix becomes increasingly renewable.

The Dominican Republic has approved new regulations for rooftop solar, shortening approval times, digitizing processes, removing penetration caps, and increasing annual compensation for surplus energy to 100%.

Mexico is attracting US data centers seeking faster power connections, but these facilities will initially rely on firm gas generation from the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), with renewables as a potential future option, Mexican energy expert Santiago Barcón told pv magazine.

Guatemala’s Generation Expansion Plan 5 (PEG-5) tender has drawn 51 bids totaling nearly 4.7 GW – more than triple the 1.4 GW sought – with around 2 GW of solar projects, including hybrids with storage, competing for long-term supply contracts starting between 2030 and 2033.

Brazil has opened consultations on its PDE 2035 energy plan, which projects 107 GW of solar by 2035 – including 78 GW of distributed generation – with battery storage reaching 7 GW, or 2% of the power mix.

Brazilian scientists have developed a slope-based framework for agrivoltaics, finding that sites below 15% gradient offer the best balance between agricultural suitability and technical feasibility. Their review of 30 studies shows that steeper terrain can host PV systems with adapted designs, land-use limits, erosion risks, and rising installation costs.