Academic from CENTRA UAI presents project to facilitate the energy transition
A web platform will be created designed to carry out electrical studies and provide information to the industry. Luis Gutiérrez, professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences UAI and director of the Civil Engineering in Energy program, launched the Fondef IdeA I+D 2024 ID24I10476 project entitled “VisiónDERRED: Web platform for distribution network analysis for the efficient integration of distributed energy resources”, funded by the…
Electric generators: how much they cost and what to look for when buying
Due to the prolonged power outages that have affected thousands of Chileans, sales of products such as electric generators have skyrocketed in retail, with people looking for solutions to keep their homes running, especially when it comes to lighting and essential appliances, such as refrigerators, heating/cooling systems and medical equipment, for example. When deciding whether to buy an electric generator, Manuel Morales, deputy director of…
Should competition be introduced into electricity distribution?: Experts address difficulties and aim to modernise regulation
Following the massive and persistent power cuts, there are voices that have begun to consider that more actors can enter the distribution industry and stop it from being a natural monopoly. As of Friday, 60 thousand clients nationwide were still without power, according to the Superintendency of Electricity and Fuels (SEC). This is more than a week after the storm that hit the central-southern part…
The key to critical infrastructure resilience in the face of natural disasters
By Javiera Barrera, director of the Doctorate in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Faculty of Engineering and Sciences of the Adolfo Ibáñez University. The new frontal system that is affecting the central and southern part of the country, painfully reminds us of the vulnerability of our critical infrastructure to natural disasters. These events prompt us to reflect on how we can build more resilient infrastructures…
Daniel Gutiérrez, CENTRA member and lawyer specializing in electricity law: “We are not facing a regulatory vacuum”
In an interview with Agenda Económica, the lawyer specializing in electrical law and founding partner of BGS Energy Law, Daniel Gutiérrez, a member of CENTRA, referred to the problem of prolonged power outages after the frontal system. In this regard, he commented that there is no regulatory vacuum in this area. However, he indicated that one cannot “pretend to have intelligent distribution lines” if as…
An artificial heart that ensures continuity
The supply of electricity is essential for daily life, and ensuring a constant, adequate and efficient flow is essential in any strategic planning and management process. For this reason, the use of backup power generation equipment is indispensable in facilities and activities of all kinds, especially in productive sectors and critical services such as health, data monitoring, digital networks and national security, among others. Regarding…
Without renewable energy, we would be in a much more complex situation
Is it possible to “escape” the increase in electricity rates planned for this year? First, we have to understand that the increases in electricity bills that we are experiencing are the result of something that we have avoided for the last five years in Chile. Let us remember that, when the social outbreak occurred, rates were frozen in a scenario where the dollar was rising;…
Is it possible to travel around Chile in an electric car?
Although there are more than 900 charging stations across the country, they are concentrated between Coquimbo and La Araucanía, making journeys to remote areas and those far from highways difficult or longer in duration. One of the most common questions when someone considers an electric car is whether long trips can be made in it. Traveling north, south, or across Chile. Matías Díaz, director of…
The number of people without electricity has increased to 685 million
A new report reveals that for the first time in the last decade, the gap in basic energy access has increased, jeopardizing the United Nations’ goal of ensuring that everyone has access to this resource by 2030. Ending poverty, reducing inequality, and building more peaceful and prosperous societies. This is the overarching goal pursued by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the 193…
The pending challenges in the energy transition
The energy transition is due to the re-evaluation of the value of fossil fuels compared to renewable energies. The former have lost value, due to the accumulated evidence about their role in global warming, their negative impact on air quality and the perception of insecurity in their supply chains. In contrast, renewable energies, such as solar and wind, have gained value by significantly reducing their…