IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 73

Solar Energy Development in Chile
The Atacama Desert has attracted miners and explorers since
pre-Columbian times. Nitrate deposits were first discovered
and used by the indigenous peoples of the Atacama, but
commercial exploitation only began in 1866, in the interior
of Antofagasta. In 1870, José Díaz Gana discovered the silver mines at Caracoles, also in the Atacama Desert, near
present-day Sierra Gorda. Both nitrate and silver production
demanded large amounts of water for the miners as well as
the hundreds of horses and mules that provided the workforce. This water had to be brought by mule-drawn wagons
from either the high Andes or small watering holes near the
coast. In this context, the engineer Charles Wilson built the
world's first large-scale solar desalination plant in Las Salinas. The plant had around 5,000 m2 of basin-type solar stills
(see Figure 2). These provided about 20,000 L of desalinated
water per day, using the briny water that existed in local wells.
This still was the largest of its type worldwide and marked the
beginning of solar energy use in Chile.
From that initial date, despite its large potential in the context of heating systems, solar energy was only used directly
for the large-scale evaporation of salt brines for nitrate and
lithium salts production, as well as the drying of agricultural
production. In recent years, due to a government subsidy, its
use for domestic hot water systems has become more common. Starting in 2012, the mining industry began to apply
large-scale solar fluid heating in electrowinning processes.
With respect to electricity production, photovoltaic (PV)
systems were only used for off-grid rural use and telecommunications, standalone lighting systems, and some commercial buildings. In 2012, Chile had an installed solar
capacity of only a little more than 1 MW in PV systems. PV
capacity is now growing more rapidly, however, as a consequence of the developments described below.
Since 2006, several factors have caused Chile to have one
of the higher electricity prices in the region:
✔✔ The end of low-cost natural gas from Argentina has
had a large impact, beginning with supply cuts in

10,000

figure 2. The first solar energy desalination system in
Chile, 1872 (source: J. Hirschmann).

2004 and forcing the construction of two large LNG
terminals in Chile.
✔✔ Citizen empowerment has led to the demand for better services and the consideration of citizen groups
in policy decisions. This has in turn led to lawsuits
that have blocked power generation projects, especially those based on coal-fired plants and large-scale
hydroelectric projects.
✔✔ From 2007 to 2011, most new, large-scale power plants
from the private sector were based on diesel fuel; at
the same time, fossil fuel prices have skyrocketed.
✔✔ There have been significant decreases in rainfall in
central Chile over the last 40 years, with prolonged
droughts lasting several years. Figure 3 shows the
decreasing trend of stored energy in the system's principal hydroelectric reservoirs over the last 15 years.
In this scenario of high energy prices and uncertainty, both
government and private actors have been increasingly interested since 2010 in integrating renewable energy technologies
into the energy mix. The government has recently introduced
a renewable energy generation requirement (20% by 2025).
Likewise, distributed small-scale generation has also became a

Energy Available In Reservoirs (GWh)

9,000

Rapel
Colbún
Chapo Lake
Ralco
Laja Lake

8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
0

1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9
11
1
3
5
7
9

1,000
2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013 2014

figure 3. Stored energy (GWh) in the main Chilean hydroelectric reservoirs, 2000-2014 (source: Systep).
march/april 2015

ieee power & energy magazine

73



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015

IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - Cover1
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - Cover2
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 1
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 2
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 3
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 4
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 5
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 6
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 7
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 8
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 9
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 10
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 11
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 12
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 13
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 14
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 15
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 16
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 17
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 18
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 19
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 20
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 21
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 22
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 23
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 24
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 25
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 26
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 27
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 28
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 29
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 30
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 31
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 32
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 33
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 34
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 35
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 36
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 37
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 38
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 39
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 40
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 41
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 42
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 43
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 44
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 45
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 46
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 47
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 48
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 49
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 50
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 51
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 52
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 53
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 54
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 55
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 56
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 57
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 58
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 59
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 60
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 61
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 62
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 63
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 64
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 65
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 66
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 67
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 68
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 69
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 70
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 71
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 72
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 73
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 74
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 75
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 76
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 77
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 78
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 79
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 80
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 81
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 82
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 83
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 84
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 85
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 86
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 87
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 88
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 89
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 90
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 91
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 92
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 93
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 94
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 95
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 96
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - Cover3
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070820
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050620
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030420
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070819
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050619
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030419
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070818
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050618
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030418
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070817
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050617
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030417
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070816
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050616
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/powerenergy_010216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070815
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050615
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070814
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050614
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030414
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010214
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com