Evolution of Solar Energy in Chile: Residential Opportunities in Arica and Parinacota

Abstract

Chile has set itself to achieve Greenhouse Gas emission neutrality, with at least 70% of electricity coming from renewable energy sources by 2050. To this end, institutional and regulatory frameworks have been improved, resulting in significant progress in medium and large-scale projects. However, solar energy production at residential level and its surplus injection to all distribution networks has been very limited. This paper analyzes the evolution of the regulatory energy policies in Chile in order to contrast it with an economic evaluation of residential projects. The analysis focuses on the city of Arica, one of the highest potential regions in terms of solar energy within the country. There, a particularly low penetration of residential solar energy usage has been observed. Based on the current situation, projections are made for Arica in 2050, through the identification of barriers and opportunities on a residential scale development. According to some recommendations, there is the need to design policies that take into account the particular characteristics of each region within the country.

Solar Disinfection Using Zero Valent Iron for Inactivation of Escherichia coli and Total Coliforms in Water Using a Raceway Reactor

“…Regarding the height of the walls, the reactor had to be shallow so as not to limit the accessibility of light in some areas and influence the efficacy of microorganism inactivation; consequently, the liquid level inside the reactor is an essential process parameter. Common liquid depths for microalgae cultivation are between 15 and 35 cm [46,48]; water decontamination experiments have been conducted at depths between 5 and 15 cm [55,56,65]. According to the factorial design, an intermediate range between the 5 and 9 cm was selected for the liquid level.…”

“…It is noteworthy that the region where the studies were conducted has some of the best solar radiation in the globe. Since Arica is situated in the clear-sky Atacama Desert of Chile, the radiation is available throughout the year, which exceeds 2506 kWh m −2 per year [56].…”

Development of a Novel Spherical Light-Based Positioning Sensor in Solar Tracking

“…Considering the energy outlook of the world and the studies conducted, solar energy will be accepted as one of the primary energy sources among energy production sources in a few decades [1][2][3]. Demand for solar energy is increasing, particularly in nations that want to decarbonize their economies and cut greenhouse gas emissions [4][5][6]. Thus, it is becoming more prevalent in a variety of fields, including architecture, agriculture, smart city applications, and wastewater treatment [7][8][9].…”

Feasibility Assessment of Photovoltaic Systems to Save Energy Consumption in Residential Houses with Electric Vehicles in Chile

“…In January 2022, the installed generation capacity in Chile corresponded to 57.1% from renewable sources (hydraulic, solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal) while 42.9% from thermal sources (coal, natural gas, and oil). The most significant increase has been in solar photovoltaic and wind technologies, which have increased drastically, increasing from 0.5% in 2011 to 21.6% in 2021 [4,5].…”

“…At the same time, the distribution power system must be redesigned to withstand the electrical stress produced by power peaks presented by the charging of EVs which could cause severe damage to the grid infrastructure by producing power outages or prolonged blackouts. Among the possible solutions for this challenge is the local PV generation [5], which allows to save the energy demand and reduce the costs associated with the redesign and modification of the grid infrastructure. In this way, a series of solutions have been developed to enable end-users to manage their energy consumption at a residential level [3].…”