• Chile has so far added 254 MW of solar power capacity in 2016
• Total operating PV capacity is 1.1 GW
• PV Capacity under construction is over 2 GW
• Over 11 GW of additional PV capacity have passed environmental quality checks
Chile continues its solar leadership role in South America. At the end of first quarter of 2016, it had a total installed PV capacity of 1,102 MW, out of a cumulative installed renewable capacity of 2,496 MW.
Monthly figures released by the National Centre for Innovation and Promotion of Sustainable Energy (CIFES) reveal that the country added 254 MW in the first 3 months of 2016. Among renewable energy sources, biogas has the biggest share (2,916 MW), followed by 1.1 GW of PV capacity.
According to the April 2016 CIFES report on Renewable Energy in the Chilean Electricity Market, Chile had a total of 52 renewable energy projects under construction as of April 5, 2016, representing a capacity of 2,692 MW. These are expected to come online between April 2016 and August 2018.
The country currently has around 2,082 MW of PV power plants under construction; 11,363 MW have already passed environmental checks and received the Environmental Qualification Resolution (RCA), further 5,296 MW are currently being evaluated.
The country had crossed 1 GW of installed solar power capacity at the end of January 2016.