Solar energy in Chile in figures: installed capacity, generation and the largest solar parks

Solar energy is today Chile's largest source of electric capacity. The country had 12,184 MW of solar photovoltaic capacity in May 2026, according to the National Energy Commission's (CNE) monthly report cited by pv magazine. The National Electric Coordinator, which uses a different methodology, counted 13,556.4 MW of solar at the end of June, 33.3% of the country's gross installed capacity, according to Reporte Minero.

Just over a decade ago, in 2013, Chile's solar capacity was a mere 6.7 MW. These are the key figures of solar energy in Chile, its largest parks and what comes next.

The two official sources give different figures because they measure differently. The CNE reports the net capacity of plants in operation, by system. The Coordinator reports the declared gross capacity of the National Electric System's facilities. That is why they should not be mixed: each one is useful for comparisons over time within its own series.

The difference between the Coordinator's June and July figures (213 MW less) is not explained in the report as summarized by the press; it may be due to plant reclassifications. The trend is solid: Chile adds more than 1,000 MW of solar per year.

Capacity is not the same as generation. In April 2026, the National Electric System generated 6,944 GWh; non-conventional renewable energy contributed 3,284 GWh (47.3%) and solar photovoltaic 1,825 GWh, 55.6% of that renewable generation, according to the CNE. That is about 26% of all electricity in the month, in the middle of autumn.

Solar generation varies with the seasons: in summer, panels produce considerably more than in winter, because of the longer hours of sunshine and the angle of radiation. The growth of rooftop solar also adds to that output, as we explain in what a home solar kit includes and how much it costs.

There is no updated official ranking of solar plants by size. The following list brings together the plants whose capacity we were able to verify in official or company sources; it may not be complete, because there are other large plants whose figures we could not confirm.

CEME1 is the country's largest solar plant: it has 882,000 panels on 435 hectares, seven kilometers from María Elena, according to the Ministry of Energy. According to the company, it can supply the equivalent consumption of some 500,000 homes.

Enel's Campos del Sol was built with nearly one million bifacial panels, which capture light on both sides, and a projected output of 1,160 GWh a year, according to Enel.

The Desierto de Atacama park, owned by Pacific Hydro (a subsidiary of China's SPIC), combines 293 MWp of solar with a 110 MW, 220 MWh battery system. It has more than 500,000 modules on about 394 hectares and estimated output of 780 GWh a year, according to pv magazine.

Operating solar photovoltaic capacity went from 6.7 MWp in 2013 to 362 MWp in 2014 and 750 MWp in 2015, according to the historical series compiled on Wikipedia. By the end of 2025 it reached 11,634 MW, after adding 1,127 MW in the year, according to pv magazine, and 12,184 MW in May 2026 according to the CNE. In other words, it multiplied more than 1,800-fold in thirteen years.

In 2017, the country's largest plant was El Romero, with 196 MW of gross capacity according to the Ministry of Energy list published by Revista Electricidad; no other plant exceeded 150 MW. In less than a decade, the largest plant more than doubled in size.

The pipeline keeps growing. In May 2026 there were 185 projects under construction with 4,176 MW, of which 3,768 MW were solar (about 90%), according to the CNE. The Environmental Assessment Service had 86 renewable projects totaling 11,784 MW and US$44.28 billion of investment under review; 64 of them were solar.

Most new projects are no longer just panels: they combine generation with batteries, to store midday energy and sell it at night. One example is Grenergy's Algarrobal, which we covered in Grenergy's financing for Algarrobal and Palmas.

Solar's success has a cost. During the sunniest hours, the system cannot always use or transport all the energy produced, and part of it is curtailed (lost). Between January and July 2026, solar and wind curtailment totaled a record 2,680 GWh, according to Acera data cited by El Mercurio. In the same period, batteries injected about 2,400 GWh.

That is why solar expansion increasingly depends on two things: new transmission lines to carry energy from the north to the center, and storage. We covered the battery boom in Chile surpasses 3,000 MW of battery storage.

Besides large plants, Chile has panels on homes, shops and businesses connected to the grid under Law 20,571 (net billing). In May 2026 they totaled 501.8 MW in 41,962 installations, according to the CNE. That month 661 systems were added, 18% fewer than the previous month.

Unlike the large plants, distributed generation is concentrated in central Chile, where more people live: the Metropolitan Region leads with 145.5 MW, followed by Valparaíso (74.6 MW), O'Higgins (60.9 MW) and Maule (59.8 MW), according to the CNE.

• Radiation: the Atacama desert has one of the highest solar radiation levels on the planet and very few cloudy days.
• Land: large flat areas with no other uses near northern transmission lines.
• Mining demand: copper mining is a large electricity consumer in the same regions where the sun is.
• Tenders: supply tenders for regulated customers opened long-term contracts to renewables.
• Costs: panel prices fell sharply over the last decade, making solar one of the cheapest sources to build.

How much solar capacity does Chile have?

12,184 MW according to the CNE (May 2026) or 13,556.4 MW according to the National Electric Coordinator (June 2026), which measures gross capacity.

What percentage of the power mix is solar?

33.3% of gross installed capacity as of June 2026, according to the Coordinator. In generation, solar supplied about 26% of electricity in April 2026.

What is the largest solar park in Chile?

CEME1, with 480 MW, in María Elena (Antofagasta Region), inaugurated in July 2024.

How many homes have solar panels in Chile?

There is no figure for homes alone. In total, there were 41,962 distributed generation installations (homes, shops and businesses) with 501.8 MW in May 2026.

Where is solar energy located in Chile?

Mainly in the Antofagasta, Atacama and Tarapacá regions, because of their high radiation, although there are solar plants and rooftops almost everywhere in the country.