Chile is writing an inspiring success story in renewable energy management, with battery storage systems emerging as the hero that's helping the South American nation maximize its abundant clean energy resources.

In 2025, Chile's rapidly growing fleet of battery energy storage systems (BESS) made a remarkable difference in capturing renewable energy that might otherwise have gone to waste. According to the Chilean renewable energy association ACERA, these intelligent storage solutions prevented what could have been a devastating 43% increase in energy curtailment, bringing it down to just 8%. Without these batteries working behind the scenes, the country would have lost nearly 8TWh of clean energy instead of the 6TWh actually curtailed.

"This represents a tremendous leap forward in our ability to harness Chile's incredible solar and wind resources," notes the progress made by the energy sector. The breakthrough demonstrates how strategic investment in storage technology can transform renewable energy challenges into opportunities.

Chile's solar revolution continued its upward trajectory in 2025, with an impressive 1.2GW of new solar photovoltaic capacity installed—an 11% increase from the previous year. What's particularly exciting is that nearly 30% of this new solar capacity came paired with battery storage, showing that developers are increasingly thinking smart about energy integration from day one.

The country now boasts 11.7GW of installed solar capacity, representing 30% of Chile's total power generation infrastructure. The sun-drenched northern regions of Antofagasta and Atacama are leading this bright future, hosting nearly 60% of the nation's solar installations. Antofagasta alone saw a remarkable 36% year-on-year increase in renewable energy capacity.

The battery storage sector is experiencing explosive and exciting growth. By December 2025, Chile had 1.5GW of operational storage systems humming across 28 projects, with another 737MW in testing phases and an ambitious 6.8GW under construction. The northern Antofagasta region leads with 15 operational projects combining for over 1,100MW of storage capacity.

Looking ahead, the forecast is brilliantly optimistic. ACERA projects that Chile will have approximately 9GW of operational battery storage by 2027, with systems averaging four hours of duration. This expansion will dramatically improve the country's ability to store sunshine for use after sunset and balance the grid throughout the day.

Perhaps most encouraging is that 95% of energy projects currently under development in Chile are either renewables or energy storage—a clear signal that the country's energy future is decidedly clean and green. If all the renewable energy currently being curtailed could be captured, renewables would already comprise nearly half of Chile's energy mix at 49.4%, instead of the current 42.4%.

The industry acknowledges that transmission infrastructure remains a work in progress, with upgrades needed to fully unlock renewable potential. However, the rapid deployment of battery storage is proving to be an effective bridge solution while these critical upgrades move forward.

Chile's renewable energy journey showcases how innovation, strategic investment, and technological solutions can overcome growing pains and accelerate the transition to clean energy. The nation is becoming a global model for integrating high levels of solar and wind power into modern electrical grids.