cover image: Climate Resilience for Energy Transition in Chile

20.500.12592/40lzxqc

Climate Resilience for Energy Transition in Chile

31 Jul 2024

Country summary
  • The rate of average annual temperature increase in Chile has accelerated in recent decades, at a rate of 0.18°C per decade from 1981‑2022. Climate projections show that this warming will continue, with significant regional variation. Increased temperatures are likely to contribute to a shift in seasonal peak electricity demand due to the changes in climate and demand patterns. Rising temperatures would decrease the peak electricity demand during winter, while increasing it in summer with the proliferation of cooling technologies.
  • Precipitation is projected to continue to decline, leading to more frequent or intense droughts, although the level of changes in precipitation may vary across the country. These precipitation changes could have adverse impacts on major electricity generation technologies, notably hydro and thermal power generation. IEA models project that Chile’s hydropower capacity factor may decline by around 14% in a low-emissions scenario (Below 2°C) and by around 25% under a high-emissions scenario (Above 3°C) by the end of the century. Thermal power plants, which account for over 40% of electricity generation in Chile, will also be affected by decreases in precipitation levels. Drought can limit the availability of cooling water for coal and gas power plants. Decreasing precipitation may also raise concerns about water-intensive mining for lithium and copper production.
  • Chile has been pioneering in adaptation and resilience efforts at a national level and, in particular, in the energy sector. Two major policies, Chile’s Framework Law on Climate Change and the General Law of Electric Services, led Chile’s mitigation and adaptation actions in the energy sector. Under these two pillars, Chile’s 2050 National Energy Policy (updated version published in 2022), identifies resilience as a key priority. Continuing the efforts towards climate-resilient energy systems, Chile is currently working on updating the Climate Change Adaptation Sectoral Plan for the Energy Sector, mandated by the Climate Change Framework Law, which was first published in 2018. Chile has also made progress in developing climate impact models, and mainstreaming climate resilience consideration in other relevant policies, such as infrastructure and disaster risk reduction policies.
  • Chile can further improve its climate resilience policies by supporting energy industry’s climate risk assessments in their initial stage; diversifying energy sources with an increasing share of renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind; and continued alignment among energy and climate policies on climate resilience.
    • Pages
    287
    Published in
    France

    Files

    15916-WB_Chile Country Profile-WEB (1).pdf

    reporteEvolucionClima2022.pdf

    Megadrought_report.pdf

    2142067.pdf

    pen_2050_-_actualizado_marzo_2022_0.pdf

    descarbonizacion_gestion_ambiental_28_sept.pdf

    4NC_Chile_Spanish.pdf

    Chile-NAP-Spanish.pdf

    agenda_energia_2022_-_2026.pdf

    PoliticaNacional_2020(principal).pdf

    Chile's_NDC_2020_english.pdf

    PLAN-DE-ADAPTACION-ENERGIA.pdf

    analisis_de_infraestructura_resiliente_a_la_crisis_climatica_para_el_sector_energetico.pdf

    ChileenergyprofileEN.pdf

    TheRoleofCriticalMineralsinCleanEnergyTransitions.pdf

    estrategia_transicion_justa_2021.pdf

    folleto_estrategia_desc_eng_30102020.pdf

    Table of Contents