Removal of Barriers to Rural Electrification with Renewable Energy

There are an estimated 170,000 unelectrified households in Chile's rural areas. Since many of these households are in isolated areas, beyond the cost-effective reach of the electricity grid, community or individual systems will be necessary to electrify them. While gasoline and diesel generators are traditional options for electrifying isolated areas, renewable energy technologies, including photovoltaics, wind and hydro, could be less costly in certain locations. Several barriers are impending the selection of renewable energy technologies for the electrification of Chile's isolated households. The government of Chile plans to implement a comprehensive project to remove these barriers and thereby make renewable energy technologies viable and practical options for rural electrification.