Chile's Chamber of Deputies asks to expand Casa Solar, the program that co-finances home solar panels

The Casa Solar program, which co-finances solar panels on homes, is back on the legislative agenda. In its sessions of November 3 and 4, Chile's Chamber of Deputies approved Resolution 104, filed by deputy Jaime Mulet, which asks the President to increase the program's budget and extend its coverage, "especially in areas with high solar radiation", Revista Electricidad reported on November 6.

Chamber resolutions are requests to the Executive, not laws: they do not force the government to allocate funds. But this one comes in the middle of the 2027 Budget debate and puts the spotlight on a program that, since 2020, has put photovoltaic systems on thousands of roofs through bulk purchases and state contributions.

Casa Solar is a Ministry of Energy program run by the Energy Sustainability Agency (AgenciaSE). It pays for part of grid-connected, battery-free photovoltaic systems of 1 or 2 kWp, for houses only (not apartments). The discount comes from two sources: a bulk purchase, which according to the ministry cut market prices by about 25%, and a state co-payment that depends on the home's appraised tax value.

In the 2021 national call, the ministry estimated that a 1 kWp system cost about CLP 2,200,000 on the market and that the family paid CLP 850,000; a 2 kWp system, worth CLP 3,300,000, came down to CLP 1,250,000: up to 60% less, according to the Ministry of Energy announcement. Estimated savings were CLP 150,000 and CLP 300,000 a year, respectively.

Source: Ministry of Energy, Casa Solar call of November 2021. These are that call's figures; electricity tariffs have risen since then, so the peso savings of an identical system would be higher today.

The second national call, detailed by AgenciaSE, added up to 654 projects and 1,093 kWp in 20 municipalities across 12 regions, from Arica to Punta Arenas: 215 systems of 1 kWp and 439 of 2 kWp. Ñuble tops the list thanks to Chillán, with 120 projects and 207 kWp, followed by Los Lagos (Puerto Montt and Osorno) and Maule (Linares, Curicó and Maule).

Source: AgenciaSE, second Casa Solar call (municipal table added up by region). The data stand out: southern regions, with less sunshine than the north, had more projects. The reason is the program's design, which only opens a municipality if it gathers at least 100 viable applications, favoring cities with more organized demand.

After the national calls, the program continued with funding from regional governments. The 2024-2025 edition planned 2,200 turnkey 1 kWp photovoltaic projects in homes in Antofagasta and O'Higgins, with estimated savings of CLP 150,000 a year per home, according to the official site casasolar.cl. In O'Higgins it targeted older adults and in Antofagasta vulnerable families, with co-payments of CLP 50,000 and CLP 100,000, respectively.

The Chamber resolution points precisely in that direction: prioritize areas with high radiation and economic vulnerability. In the north, a 1 kWp panel produces more energy than in the south, so the same subsidy yields more kilowatt-hours a year, as shown when reviewing what a home solar kit includes and how much it costs.

With CGE's October 2026 residential tariff of CLP 255.27 per kWh, every 1,000 kWh a household stops buying from the grid is worth about CLP 255,000. Prices vary by municipality, as shown by the price per kWh in Chile by utility. Surplus energy fed into the grid is paid at a lower value under the distributed generation (net billing) law.

Casa Solar systems connect under Law 21,118 on distributed generation, the same law cited in the power of attorney that beneficiaries sign. It allows homes and businesses to install up to 300 kW for self-consumption and feed surpluses into the utility's grid, which credits them on the bill.

For perspective, a typical household uses about 180 kWh a month, according to our estimate of how much electricity a home in Chile uses: about 2,160 kWh a year. A well-oriented 2 kWp system can cover a significant share of that daytime consumption.

The resolution sets no amounts or deadlines. The Casa Solar website states that the regions filled the quotas of the second national call and that new sign-ups are recorded for a future call, with no date announced. Applicants must submit their property tax appraisal certificate and an electricity bill, and a technical visit then determines whether the roof can take 1 or 2 kWp.

• Who can apply: owners of houses (not apartments) in eligible municipalities.
• Municipal requirement: at least 100 viable applications to open the bulk purchase.
• Deposit: in the national calls applicants paid CLP 90,000, refunded if the house was not technically feasible.
• System: grid-connected photovoltaic, no batteries, 1 or 2 kWp.

What did the Chamber approve on Casa Solar?

Resolution 104, which asks the President to increase the program's budget and extend its coverage, especially in areas with high solar radiation.

Is the resolution binding on the government?

No. It is a request to the Executive; it does not allocate funds by itself.

How much does a family pay under Casa Solar?

In the 2021 call, CLP 850,000 for 1 kWp and CLP 1,250,000 for 2 kWp. In the 2024-2025 regional calls, co-payments ranged from CLP 50,000 to CLP 100,000.

How many projects did the second call have?

654 projects and 1,093 kWp in 20 municipalities across 12 regions, according to AgenciaSE.

Are applications open?

The official website says the second call's quotas were filled and new sign-ups are recorded for a future call.