By 2018, Chili will become the first country in the world to have a metro system to be powered by solar and wind power. The Metro de Santiago as it is called should derive close to 60% of its energy from renewable sources. The power will come from a photovoltaic solar plant and a wind plant which will be installed in the Atacama Desert for $500 million.

The El Pelicana solar plant will generate 100 MW and will be built by SunFunder, Total’s subsidiary. It should be completed by 2017. As for the Aceituno wind park, it will be constructed by the Brazilian firm Latin American Power and produce 185 MW. It will be Chili’s largest wind station.

On the long-term, the system will derive 42% of its power from solar source, 18% from wind and remaining 40% will be supplied by Chili’s national power utility.

Let’s recall that Chili plans for 70% of its power to come from renewable sources, by 2050.

Gwladys Johnson