Energy regulatory shifts in Colombia and solar initiatives in Chile

In Colombia, the Council of State has ordered the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) to finalize administrative processes to modify electricity tariff formulas in the Caribbean region. The ruling aims to reduce energy costs and ensure fair pricing by reviewing recognized energy losses and verifying that reported loss levels correspond to reality. This follows long-standing complaints regarding high electricity costs in the region.

In Chile, several energy initiatives are underway. In the Ñuble region, the Regional Government has allocated 600 million pesos to fund photovoltaic projects for 60 rural drinking water systems (APR), benefiting approximately 14,426 families. Additionally, in the Valparaíso region, five organizations, including fire departments and sports clubs, have been awarded funds to implement small-scale solar energy solutions to reduce costs and improve energy autonomy.

Furthermore, research is being conducted in Chile to address the environmental challenge of decommissioned solar panels. A project funded by the National Research and Development Agency (ANID) aims to recover crystalline silicon from end-of-life photovoltaic modules to repurpose it as an agricultural input.