South America is the continent most dependent on renewable energy, but it is a market that has been difficult for the energy storage industry to penetrate – most South American countries have no storage regulations and offer few incentives, but Chile is leading the way.
Which country has the largest solar energy investment in South America?
Enel Colombia last month began commercial operations of a 370 MW solar PV project. In January 2025, the 144 MW solar park in Monteria was launched, marking one of the largest solar investments in the country, totaling USD 200 million. Brazil is the leader in solar energy in South America as it surpassed 50 GW of installed capacity in 2024.
Solar energy, which is at the helm of global energy transition goals, is a crucial energy source powering the transition for the South American continent as well. Latin America receives some of the highest solar radiation in the world, making it a hub for solar energy and photovoltaic systems.
Are small-scale photovoltaic systems regulated in South America?
In South America, regulation on the connection of small-scale photovoltaic systems is recent, given that this type of generation has been integrated into the energy matrix for a few years.
Does South America have privileged solar irradiation?
5. Discussion South America has privileged solar irradiation, with emphasis on the northeast region of Brazil and especially the Atacama Desert region, in northern Chile. Regarding the energy matrices of each country, listed in Table 4, a large percentage of renewable energies is observed in the analyzed countries.
Where are the largest solar plants in South America?
The largest photovoltaic solar plants in South America are located in Brazil and Chile. The largest solar plant in the region corresponds to the São Gonçalo solar park located in the state of Piauí in Brazil, it has a generating capacity of 437.04 MW and it was inaugurated in November, 2019.
The growth of PV installed capacity in Brazil stems from the successful energy auctions for renewable sources. The connection of centralized systems to the network has been observed in South America primarily since 2015. There is an emphasis on Chile and Brazil regarding large systems.