The Chilean Renewable Energy and Storage Association (ACERA) presented its 2026-2030 Programmatic Proposal: "Deep Electrification with Renewable Energy and Storage for Chile's Development" during a meeting with Evelyn Matthei 's presidential campaign team, represented by strategic advisor Juan Sutil and programmatic advisor Juan Luis Ossa. The proposal outlines a roadmap to strengthen the country's competitiveness and advance toward a secure and resilient energy mix based on renewables and storage, through five key areas: electrification of consumption, regulatory modernization, promotion of energy storage, strengthening of transmission infrastructure, and simplification of permitting processes. During the presentation, ACERA emphasized the importance of Chile adopting a national strategy based on clean energy that promotes investment, innovation, and industrial development.
She also emphasized the need for electrification to be consolidated as a state policy, with a long-term vision and regulatory stability. Evelyn Matthei 's energy team, led by Carlos Barria, presented the guidelines of the program the candidate intends to implement in this area. The energy program proposes that the State regain control of the sector with a long-term vision and technical rigor.
Its key pillars are: (1) electrical security and resilience; (2) efficiency in management and tariff processes; (3) simplification of permits and institutional strengthening; and (4) electrification of the economy through electromobility, green hydrogen, and clean industries. With this, it aims to achieve growth through investment and tax stability, halving emissions by 2035 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. "There is a high degree of consensus on the areas that an energy program should include, as we observed when comparing ACERA's proposal with that of presidential candidate Matthei. However, we believe it is extremely important to focus on the implementation capacity that institutions and their staff can effectively demonstrate, given the limited four-year timeframe a government has to implement any public policy and regulation it intends to promote," stated Ana Lia Rojas, Executive Director of ACERA. Therefore, the importance of "defining a prioritized and agreed-upon work agenda with the Executive Branch and Parliament, and advancing the strengthening of the sector's institutional framework" was emphasized. What does the document promoted by ACERA propose? The document highlights that, despite the 1.9 GW of storage already installed and a target of 5 GW by 2026, regulatory and territorial planning barriers persist, hindering its expansion.
ACERA calls for progress on an appropriate remuneration framework and incentives that strengthen energy storage as a cornerstone of the transition. It also proposes two structural reforms: one to the wholesale electricity market , updating pricing and dispatch mechanisms in light of the high penetration of variable renewables, including the incorporation of "day-ahead" bidding and dispatch schemes—a tool that would allow for price anticipation and optimize coordination among generators, transmission companies, and system operators. The second key regulatory framework is related to electricity distribution , which has gone four decades without a structural reform.
Therefore, the document argues that distributors must evolve into "energy services platforms" capable of managing smart grids, local storage, and distributed generation, while also promoting the active role of consumers and the digitalization of the system. Regarding tariffs, the association values subsidies for vulnerable families but proposes that their financing be public and that, in the long term, costs be reduced through regulated contracts with a greater presence of renewable energy and modern infrastructure. The document also underscores the urgency of resolving transmission bottlenecks that resulted in more than 6.2 TWh of clean energy being added to the grid in 2024 , by promoting key projects such as Kimal Lo Aguirre and Entre Ríos Lo Aguirre. Finally, ACERA calls for the development of a "2026-2030 National Strategy" that combines political leadership, regulatory certainty, and a long-term vision . The association urges the finalization of pending regulations , such as those for Coordination and Operation (DS 125/2017) and Distributed Generation (DS 88/2019 and DS 57/2019) , as well as the updating of technical standards for scheduling, dispatch, and quality of service. The modernization of distribution, ACERA adds, must be based on updated technical studies , with a focus on digitalization, demand participation, and the deployment of smart grids . With abundant renewable resources, technical expertise, and a robust industry, Chile can lead the Latin American energy transition , ACERA states, promoting an efficient, sovereign, and competitive energy mix that reduces emissions, ensures energy independence, and offers fairer prices to consumers.