Chile recorded all-time highs for the curtailment of renewable energy projects between January and May 2023, according to Acera, the Chilean renewable energy association.

During this period, 735 GWh of renewable energy could not be integrated into the grid, marking an 86% increase from the same period in 2022. This is equivalent to the operation of a 600 MW solar plant.

In 2022, renewable energy curtailment amounted to 1,471 GWh. PV plants in the north of the country were primarily affected, but curtailment also occurs in the south, where wind power plants are more prevalent.

PV asset owners in the sunny northern regions previously faced negative prices due to high power production and limited evacuation opportunities to meet energy demand in the central and southern parts of Chile.

As of March, Chile had 14,305 MW of installed renewable energy capacity, including 8,220 MW of PV installations. About 170 MW of the solar power capacity comes from distributed-generation systems built under the country's net billing scheme. Most of the capacity comes from utility-scale solar facilities, which are primarily located in the northern part of Chile.