Agrivoltaic Projects and their Potential in Addressing Chile’s Energy Transition Challenges

Chile’s ambitious decarbonisation goals have driven a remarkable growth in renewable energy over the past decade. However, structural challenges such as transmission infrastructure constraints, suitable land scarcity, and rising community opposition now threaten the country’s ability to achieve its energy transition goals. This work explores agrivoltaic technology as a potential tool to overcome these barriers by enabling the dual use of land for agriculture and photovoltaic energy generation. Through the case study of Ayla Solar, Chile’s first commercial agrivoltaic project, and a comparative analysis of regulatory frameworks in France, Germany, and the United States, this work examines how Chile could promote the large-scale development of agrivoltaics as a strategic tool for its energy transition. It concludes that a clear and coherent regulatory framework is essential for agrivoltaics to become a viable solution in the Chilean Energy Market, allowing the country to address land-use conflicts while promoting local development and environmental sustainability.