By Douglas Olivares, Ph.D. in Solar Energy and researcher at SERC Chile – UA

The Atacama Desert is home to one of the planet’s largest solar resources. However, even the most promising scenarios face challenges. In this case, the main obstacle is “soiling”: the accumulation of dust (both organic and inorganic) that reduces the efficiency of solar panels, as it accelerates material wear and compromises their durability. Its effects extend not only to electricity generation but also to sensors and equipment within this ecosystem.

This goes beyond the extreme aridity of this region of the country. Mining, the economic mainstay of the north, releases pollutants that intensify particle deposition and promote cementation processes that are difficult to reverse. In turn, microorganisms resistant to extreme weather colonize surfaces and form biofilms on photovoltaic glass, reducing its transparency and accelerating its deterioration. Thus, soiling emerges as a hybrid phenomenon, where natural and human processes converge, demanding scientific and technological solutions tailored to the region’s specific conditions.

The consequences are quantifiable. In some projects, efficiency losses exceed 20 percent—a critical shortfall in systems that depend on long-term efficiency. On a global scale, this phenomenon results in losses of billions of dollars annually. For a country that has made solar energy a strategic pillar, the challenge is clear: to transform an obstacle into a platform for innovation and to strengthen its leadership in the energy sector.

Solutions are already underway. In Chile, various research centers—such as the Solar Energy Research Center (SERC Chile) and the University of Antofagasta—are investigating how soiling, among other phenomena, affects solar technologies. At the same time, the Energy Development Center at the University of Antofagasta is promoting applied research and proposing mitigation strategies. These efforts demonstrate that this is not merely a technical issue, but rather an opportunity for science and innovation to support the local energy transition with global impact.

Meanwhile, the Atacama Desert will continue to be the hero of this story, home to one of the planet’s greatest solar resources. Soiling—like other phenomena unique to this extreme environment—reminds us that every opportunity brings with it a challenge. Chile’s energy future will depend on our ability to turn this antagonist into a driver of innovation and long-term vision.