A status quo report: Energy policy framework in Chile 2010

This working paper investigates the current energy situation of Chile. After a long running reform process of its electricity market in the early eighties and the end of the dictatorship, Chile has shown a rapid growth that is coupled with a growing energy needs. Historically important stages are briefly described, with a short overview of the current energy policy framework. Chile has a, due to its geographical location and diversity, high potential for various renewable energy sources. These potentials are described for solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal and ocean energy, supported by numerous legislative decisions, such as the Law on Renewable Energies of 2008, which underpins the path towards the use of these resources. To what extent these measures are sufficient to overcome the energy shortages Chile has experienced, to ensure energy security is dicussed in the last section of this paper.