Why is solar power important in Chile?

Solar power in Chile is an increasingly important source of energy. Total installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Chile reached 8.36 GW in 2023. Solar energy provided 19.9% of national electricity generation in Chile in 2023, compared to less than 0.1% in 2013.

Who is Q-Sun solar?

Q-Sun Solar, an Anhui-based Chinese solar company, has signed an investment agreement with the municipal government of Xiantao City, Hubei province, to deploy an additional 10 GW of solar cell capacity and 12 GW of panel capacity. The company will invest approximately CNY 6 billion in the expansion plan.

Is there an alternative to solar energy in Chile?

Chile has begun to explore an alternative. Both Cerro Dominador and the Alba Project are powered by so-called solar salts, extracted from the Atacama Desert, composed of potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate. When melted and kept in a liquid state, they allow energy to be stored.

Does Chile have a solar thermal tower?

Chile’s Atacama desert is home to the only solar thermal tower in Latin America. The imposing 240-meter construction is one of the pillars of the country’s ambitious green energy program that began in 2019 and aims to completely replace fossil fuels by 2040.

Will Chile replace coal plants with solar thermal plants?

As coal plants are eliminated, Chile intends to replace them with solar thermal plants or convert them into batteries like the Alba Project. The solar thermal tower Cerro Dominador has become a symbol of Chile’s energy revolution against climate change.

When did SolarPack start supplying power to Chile?

In March 2020 PV Magazine reported that Solarpack had begun providing power on 2 March 2020, to the Chilean grid from its 123 MW Granja project, 10 months ahead of the contracted date of 1 January 2021. With that, Solarpack raised its total operating capacity in Chile at the time to 181 MW.