What potential does Chile have to become an exporter of solar energy? What is the gap that separates us from being a powerhouse in this area? How can the best scientists be coordinated to work on the creation of a national solar market? These are some of the topics addressed by Dr. Rodrigo Palma, director of SERC Chile, during his interview on the TVN Canal 24Horas series “Exploradores, del Átomo al Cosmos.”

Our director was interviewed by the series host, Nicolás Vial, on Wednesday, May 10. During the half-hour live broadcast, three central topics were addressed. In the first one, focused on the question can Chile become an exporter of solar energy?, Palma highlighted the solar potential of the Atacama Desert.

The second topic of interest was the great challenge of solar energy today: storage. A report featuring interviews with SERC Chile researchers provided the answer: it is possible to use lithium and other salts as a solution to this problem.

“There are other forms of lithium storage. It is also used in the experiments we are conducting in the north, where we mix it with other nitrates to create salts that can store energy as heat and temperature. In this case, it is no longer an electrochemical conversion; instead, that heat is later used to generate steam, which drives a steam turbine, which in turn drives a shaft that powers an electric generator to produce electricity. This is the other side of lithium that we must consider very seriously in Chile—the same lithium participating in two different technological pathways.”

Finally, the work of Ayllu Solar was highlighted, an initiative by SERC Chile in Arica and Parinacota that seeks to support the sustainable development of communities in the region, such as Visviri, through the use of solar energy and the creation of human capital.

“We envision a solar future for Chile that moves in two directions: communities believing in and using the sun, and larger-scale solar projects. When we bring them together, we will succeed in making Chile a solar powerhouse. In this project (Ayllu Solar), we have our key partner in the region, the Universidad de Tarapacá, which carries out very significant work in the field of solar water treatment—a topic we are not discussing today, but which is very relevant.”

Furthermore, he referred to the team's work, a comment with which he concluded the interesting interview on Canal 24Horas: “I also wanted to raise the interdisciplinary issue. It is impressive in this project how themes intersect, from the social aspect to specific knowledge in various technical aspects, adding the challenge of working with several institutions – here there is an international foundation, the BHP Billiton Foundation, which finances the project. Combining all this is a novel challenge for us from a scientific perspective: connecting at that level with real-world projects, with communities, and with the responsibility that entails.”