Chile Office Building Energy Storage Project

In December 2024, Verano Energy signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Abastible, ensuring stable revenues for the project while directly supporting the decarbonization of Chile’s energy matrix. Construction is underway, with commercial operations expected by the end of 2026. [pdf]

Chile s energy storage system subsidies

Also, the 5,400 GWh long-term energy tender announced in May will provide incentives for storage. • A new ruling allows storage to receive revenue from power sufficiency and provides revenues for both BESS and the underlying renewables in colocated projects. [pdf]

FAQS about Chile s energy storage system subsidies

Will capacity payments be applicable to energy storage systems in Chile?

Pursuant to Law 21,505, the Chilean Ministry of Energy has proposed to amend the regulations on capacity payments to allow for those payments to be applicable to energy storage systems.

Is Chile ready for a standalone energy storage project?

This project alone nears the capacity (13GWh) the Chilean Ministry of Energy sought in a public land bidding auction for standalone energy storage projects in May of 2024. Chile has been one of the countries at the forefront of the renewable energy transition in Latin America, first with solar PV and now with BESS.

Will Chile subsidize electricity costs?

The Chilean Congress is currently considering a legislative proposal introduced by the Chilean Government aimed at subsidizing electricity costs for approximately 4.7 million households.

Why is energy storage important in Chile?

Image: Grenergy Grid constraints have prevented Chile from maximising the potential of its world-class solar resources. Energy storage has, therefore, become a necessity to ensure the financial viability of PV projects, writes Jonathan Tourino Jacobo.

Is Chile ready for a battery storage project?

Battery storage projects cannot come soon enough for Chile. While Chile has been at the forefront of renewable energy generation growth in Latin America for close to a decade, that growth has most recently undergone serious growing pains.

How much energy storage will Chile have in 2024?

During the Energy Storage Summit Latin America (ESS LatAm) in October 2024, Ana Lía Rojas, executive director at the Chilean renewable energy and energy storage association (ACERA), explained how the current levels of curtailment in Chile, which could end up at approximately 5TWh in 2024, could power up to 3.4GW of 4-hour duration energy storage.

Chile s distributed photovoltaic energy storage policy

As part of the 2025 national budget, Chile is allocating $1.2 billion in subsidies specifically for energy storage initiatives. Priority funding is directed toward integrated solar-plus-storage demonstration projects in the Atacama Desert, aiming to accelerate the energy transition in northern Chile. [pdf]

FAQS about Chile s distributed photovoltaic energy storage policy

Does Chile have a capacity payment system?

Since 1982, the Chilean market has recognized capacity payment for plants that contribute adequacy to the electrical system. With Law 20.936 of 2016, the existence of energy storage systems (Energy Storage Systems or SAE) and hybrid energy systems (Renewable Plants with Storage Capacity or CRCA) was recognized in the law.

Will Chile support the energy transition?

A spokesperson for Engie Group told Dialogue Earth that Chile is seen as one of its strategic countries for supporting the energy transition, which “entails the investment of USD 1.8 billion by 2027. Our plan in Chile considers incorporating 1.4 GW to reach 2 GW of installed capacity in clean energy, including 2 GWh in storage systems”.

Where are Chile's battery energy storage facilities located?

Chile’s first battery energy storage projects were commissioned in 2009, and all but two of its 16 administrative regions have facilities in operation, under construction or in the planning stage. The greatest installed capacity is found in the northern regions of Antofagasta and Tarapacá, the country’s solar powerhouses.

Will Chile's storage capacity double in 2032?

The energy ministry spokesperson told Dialogue Earth that the country’s environmental assessment body is currently assessing the viability of 300 more storage projects, with a total capacity of 16 GW. According to some projections, between 2026 and 2032, Chile’s total storage capacity could double to 4 GW.

Which Chinese companies are building a solar power plant in Chile?

Chinese companies have in recent years built, or announced plans to build, Chile’s longest power line, solar plants and wind farms, while in battery storage, solar giant Trina has launched three projects in the country. John Bartlett is a British journalist based in Santiago, Chile, covering economics, politics and culture.

Why is Chile pursuing energy storage in Antofagasta?

Chilean president Gabriel Boric (centre) at the inauguration of an energy storage plant in the northern region of Antofagasta in April 2024. Chile has strong conditions for wind and solar energy, and is pursuing storage to help overcome intermittent supply (Image: Ximena Navarro / Dirección de Prensa, Presidencia de la República de Chile)