MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

South Chile reviews peat potential as alternative energy

Peat field in Punta Arenas

Magallanes and Los Lagos regions in the extreme south of Chile are looking into the possibilities of developing vast resources of peat in the area. Magallanes has an estimated 2.2 million hectares of peat and peaty soil which is equivalent to 17% of that territory.

According to La Prensa Austral from Punta Arenas, the Ministry of Agriculture together with a Quaternary Research Centre and with the help from New Zealand and Canada experts have been analyzing recent experiences in the world as peat recovers certain interest given the soaring prices of energy in the last five years. The idea is to re-establish peat as a viable sustainable fuel, energy alternative particularly in rural areas and its refining potential. La Prensa Austral points out that the challenge is big since there's no legal framework covering such aspects as environment, property and commerce for taking advantage of peat on a large scale. Experts Rowan Buxton and Line Rochefort from New Zealand and Canada have given conferences on the issue. The new interest in peat is included in the regional agenda for productive development of Magallanes and Los Lagos. "There's a special interest in the role peat could play for energy research, as well as practical issues, assistance and technology transfer", underlines La Prensa Austral.