The UAI Center for Energy Transition (CENTRA UAI) drives a cost-efficient, secure, socio-environmentally sustainable, and territorially just energy transition, through fundamental and applied, collaborative and interdisciplinary research, developing innovative tools for the public sector and industry.
We transform interdisciplinary research into innovative tools for the public sector, industry, and communities.
Research and Transfer Projects
Anillo Project ACT250025: Decision Support Tools for Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) in Chile
VisiónDERRED web platform for efficient integration of distributed energy resources
Project Identification Official Title: Web platform for distribution network analysis for the efficient integration of distributed energy resources (ID24I10476). Project Type: FONDEF IDeA R&D Project. Executing Institution: Adolfo Ibáñez University (UAI) / Energy Transition Center (CENTRA). Execution Period: May 2024 – May 2026. Partner Entity: Chilean Solar Energy Association AG (ACESOL). Platform Link (Dev): https://app-dev.visionderred.cl/ Status: In execution. Executive Summary The VisiónDERRED project aims to…
Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) for Sustainable and Resilient Energy Systems in Chile
Project Identification Official Title: Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) for Sustainable and Resilient Energy Systems in Chile. Project Type: Industrial Research Chair and Technology Transfer. Lead Institution: Center for Energy Transition (CENTRA), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. Execution Period: December 2024 – December 2025. Strategic Partner: SAESA Group. Status: Finalized (Phase 1). Executive Summary Chile is facing a decisive energy transformation, characterized by high renewable energy penetration and…
Recent News
A Chile energy transition expert talks pumped storage
August 17, 2026 While energy storage investment in Chile to date has been channeled almost exclusively into lithium-ion battery systems, pumped storage is blinking on the radar again. A US$900mn project – 450MW Atacama, linked to French firm Hyvity – is in the environmental review phase and Chilean generator Colbún’s US$1.4bn, 800MW initiative Paposo is still in the company’s portfolio. A US$1bn, 300MW pumped…
Seminar: “The Future of Distributed Energy Resources in Chile” – Ring Project ACT250025
Thursday, August 20, 2026, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Adolfo Ibáñez University, Vitacura Campus, Room 6. Santa María 5870, Vitacura. Room capacity: 50 people. Free admission with prior registration. [REGISTER HERE] → https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/sqY0G6BU1R The Chilean electrical system is incorporating a growing number of distributed energy resources: solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles, and smart charging. Coordinating them as a virtual power plant allows this dispersed array…
The energy transformation driven by BESS systems
August 4, 2026 With rising electricity demand, battery storage is becoming a key tool in the mining industry to support the electrification of mining operations and increase the share of renewable energy. The projected increase in electricity demand for the industry is accelerating the development of battery energy storage systems (BESS), a technology that is gaining prominence in supporting mining operations. According to estimates from…
Partner Institutions
