Chile is Undergoing a Massive Solar Boom

[Judi Lynn]

Chile is Undergoing a Massive Solar Boom
Michael Graham Richard
Energy / Energy Policy
January 17, 2013

The sun is our most abundant and cleanest source of energy, so the faster we harness it, the sooner we'll be on our way to having a truly sustainable civilization. That's why it's so great to see solar power projects popping up all around the world, and this at an increasing rate, and with bigger and bigger projects. Chile is a good example of this new solar boom: The Centro de Energías Renovables (CER, or or Renewable Energy Center) reports that November of last year, more than 3.1 gigawatts of solar energy projects were approved, and that another 908 megawatts were waiting for approval. That's a huge amount, especially for a single year!



Electric Light & Power writes:

For all renewable energy projects (hydro, wind, biomass, solar, and geothermal), the CER counts 6.7 GW of renewable energy projects approved in Chile, and another 3.8 GW in the wings.

Roughly 1.27 GW spanning 10 projects was added in November, an increase of 530 MW over the previous month.
Chile could emerge as one of the leaders in the Latin American/Caribbean market for renewable energy, especially solar PV (particularly ground-mount), thanks to a combination of net metering, Renewable Portfolio Standards and other policies. (source)

More:
http://www.treehugger.com/energy-policy/chile-undergoing-massive-solar-boom.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29

[Cleita]

1. They have that whole sunny desert in the north.

It would be a shame not to take advantage of it especially when the most area of the desert doesn't harbor any kind of animal or plant life to destroy. Also, since the wind blows constantly there down from the Andes, wind farms could be really a boon too. Peru should take note because they also have all that nice windy desert to use as well. With those thousands of miles of shoreline as well, Chile should take advantage of doing wave energy in the ocean as well. Let's hope their conservatives don't allow American and other foreign interests like the Chinese to set up shop there taking all the profits with them like in the past with mining interests.

[pscot]

2. There's a large Geman cohort down there

who seem to get it.

[Thinkingabout]

3. Seems like the same bunch who fight solar energy are the same as anti global warming

Making advances in the US is falling by the way. We could have better used funds put in a,war of choice and started putting solar and wind power in American homes. We ended up with too many being killed and still facing lack of effort in wind and solar energy.