SOLAR CAN DIG CHILE’S COPPER

A true-life instructional tale: Because of its huge copper industry, Chile is not as concerned about the COST of energy as it is about HAVING energy to run its copper mining. With the sun-drenched Atacama Desert and wind swept mountains geographically adjacent to the northern mining region, solar and wind energies comprise the inevitable solution.

Marcelo Tokman, Energy Minister, Chile: ``The solution here is diversification…''

Michelle Bachelet, President, Chile: ``Why not take advantage of our north, where the sun shines all year, as a big source of energy?''

Moral: Right now, the industrial world faces a choice between cheap dirty energy and expensive clean energy. Soon, it will face Chile’s dilemma: Expensive energy or no energy. The countries that have invested in a New Energy infrastructure will prosper. Those that have not will regret it. Just ask South Africa: WIND GOES TO WORK FOR SOUTH AFRICA and S. AFRICA, FACING SHORTS, TO TRY NEW ENERGY.

(See also CHILE TO BUILD WIND)

One more potential moral: If Chile is able to build its solar power plant facilities, it may have exportable power. Energy Minister Marcelo Tokman: “If they manage to develop a profitable project in Chile, where there are no subsidies, it will be an amazing marketing opportunity for them to sell in other parts of the world…”

There's plenty of sun. (click to enlarge)

Chile Considers Solar Energy to Help Power Mines
Matthew Craze, June 5, 2008 (Bloomberg News)

WHO
Michelle Bachelet, President, Chile; Marcelo Tokman, Energy Minister, Chile

The northern grid is on the left. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
To cope with energy shortages that otherwise may cut back production in Chile’s copper mining and manufacturing sector, the country’s leaders are exploring the development of solar power plants.

WHEN
Chile’s energy problems began in 2004 when Argentina cut off natural gas supplies.

The Atacama Desert. (click to enlarge)

WHERE
- One-fifth of world copper is mined in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert.
- The Atacama Desert is also home to the Escondida copper mine, the world's biggest, owned and operated by BHP Billiton.
- The largest division of Codelco, the world's top copper producer, is also in the Atacama Desert.
- GasAtacama SA, Chile’s utility, feeds 780 megawatts to the nation’s northern grid.
- FPL Energy will build 250-megawatt solar power plant in the California Mojave Desert.

WHY
- Chile imports almost 75% of its power. Bachelet has set a goal of building 15% of new power supply domestically.
- Solar energy may help Chile escape power rationing.
- Bachelet and Tokman traveled to the U.S. to tour Nevada Solar One, a 64-megawatt parabolic trough facility owned and operated by Acciona that is presently the world’s 3rd largest solar energy installation.
- Chile’s insolation suggests the possibility of solar power plants adding 1,000 megawatts of the northern grid’s 5,000 megawatts.
- The Atacama terrain is similar to the Mojave.
- Codelco, GasAtacama and France’s Suez SA are also planning a liquefied natural gas importing facility.

BHP Billiton's Escondida copper mine. Looks like it needs a lot of power. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Energy Minister Marcelo Tokman: ``With the current metal prices, mining companies can't afford to be exposed to risks in the supply of electricity…Sooner rather than later, we are going to have solar-powered energy in the north.''
- John Wilson, adviser, California Energy Commission: ``A 20 percent solution is a pretty significant solution for the northern system…''