MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

British Embassy in Santiago contributes to advance offshore wind development in Chile

The British Embassy in Santiago earlier this month organized an event which brought together government authorities, industry representatives and academia to discuss key findings of the reports and explore next steps for the development of offshore wind development in Chile.

The studies on offshore wind development in Chile were developed by ORE Catapult as part of an initiative led by the British Embassy in Santiago. On 12 August, four studies produced by ORE Catapult, the United Kingdom’s leading innovation center for Offshore Renewable Energy, were presented at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Santiago, with the studies providing recommendations to support the development of offshore wind energy in Chile.

The event was opened by the British Ambassador to Chile, David Concar, and included a presentation of the main findings of the studies, followed by a panel discussion entitled “Next Steps for Offshore Wind in Chile”. Panelists included representatives from the Ministry of Energy, InvestChile, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez and the Centre for the Transition towards Resilient and Autonomous Electric Systems (CENTRA).

The findings showed that Chile has exceptional conditions to develop a competitive offshore wind industry. However a range of complementary actions will be needed to translate this potential into concrete projects. Key actions identified were strengthening regulatory measures permitting frameworks, enhancing coordination among public institutions, ensuring timely planning of electricity transmission infrastructure, and supporting the development of local capabilities, a skilled workforce and domestic supply chains.

The research also highlighted the importance of adopting an integrated approach to sector development by aligning energy, port and spatial planning with a long-term strategy that provides certainty for investors and facilitates the delivery of future projects.

The reports identify significant opportunities for regional economic growth, in particular, it highlights the potential of offshore wind to revitalize strategic ports, attract new industrial investment and create highly skilled jobs, particularly in industrial regions such as Biobío.

As to the recommendations they are informed by the United Kingdom’s experience, site visits, and consultations with stakeholders from both countries. They cover key areas for sector development, including ports, electricity transmission, maritime planning, energy policy, workforce development, environmental considerations and supply chains. The objective is to contribute to the creation of a competitive, scalable and attractive market for private investment.

The studies were developed by ORE Catapult, as part of an initiative led by the UK Embassy in Santiago and funded by UK Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.