Solar curtailment rises in Chile as grid constraints persist
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.
Photovoltaics for salmon farms
Copec, Luxmeter Energy, and Ventisqueros have commissioned a system at the Quintupeu salmon farming center in Hornopirén, a remote area of southern Chile. The installation features a 48 kW photovoltaic plant paired with a 109 kWh battery storage system, enabling the facility to reduce its reliance on diesel generators in this off-grid aquaculture operation.
Chile installs 1.1 GW of PV in 2025
Chile installed 1.13 GW of solar capacity last year, raising total solar capacity to 11.63 GW, while over 4 GW of renewable projects are under construction, according to the National Energy Commission (CNE).
Pacific Hydro commissions 293 MW of PV with 110 MW/220 MWh of storage in Chile
Pacific Hydro has brought its 293 MW Desierto de Atacama solar project online with 110 MW/220 MWh of battery storage. The Atacama Desert facility is expected to supply 780 GWh of clean electricity annually to more than 310,000 homes.
Chile awards 2025 power supply tender solely to Enel unit
Chile’s Comisión Nacional de Energía (CNE) has awarded the entirety of its 2025/01 electricity supply tender to Enel Generación Chile, the local generation arm of Italy-based Enel SpA, making it the sole winner of the auction.
How the world’s sunniest region tackles solar module soiling, cleaning
Researchers studying PV panels in Chile’s hyper-arid Atacama Desert found that cemented soiling can cause annual energy losses of up to 9.8%. Their combined field and laboratory work shows that dry cleaning leaves residue that accelerates future cementation, making wet cleaning the more effective long-term strategy despite higher costs and scarce water.
The Hydrogen Stream: Germany audit warns of missed H2 goals
Germany’s Federal Court of Audit (Bundesrechnungshof) says the nation’s hydrogen strategy is falling short despite heavy subsidies, while Pulsenics and Endua have launched the first commercial AI-based monitoring system to improve electrolyzer performance under fluctuating renewable power conditions.
Chile commissions PV-driven hydrogen plant
Chile’s Colbún has started operations at a solar-powered green hydrogen unit at its Nehuenco thermoelectric complex, replacing fossil-based hydrogen used in generator cooling.
Chile loses $562 million to rising solar and wind curtailment
Ember says Chile has curtailed 11,900 GWh of renewable generation since 2022 due to grid congestion, costing operators $562 million.
Chile’s energy storage capacity reaches 4.6 GWh
According to data from the Chilean Association of Renewable Energy and Storage (ACERA), the share of non-conventional renewable energy in Chile’s electricity grid rose to 39.5% of total generation in August.
