In an agreement established with the Ministry of Energy, the Complex Engineering Systems Institute generated a study that explored the potential of distributed energy resources as an engine of employment and efficient and sustainable development for the country. Through the collected and researched, it was also possible to establish a series of criteria and methodologies to implement the development of distributed generation and distributed energy resources in general to incorporate them into the planning of the expansion of electricity systems in Chile.

The study raises the need to advance to an efficient and secure system of this segment of the industry, with a penetration that can reach about 40% of the new installed generation capacity between 2020 and 2040.

In the online seminar held by ACESOL to show the results of the study, ISCI researcher and academic at the Adolfo Ibáñez University, Daniel Olivares commented:

"The base scenario of the study delivers very high optimal levels of distributed generation penetration, equivalent to about 40% of the new generation capacity installed in the evaluation horizon (2020-2040) by the NewEn expansion model, which in gross terms corresponds to about 6.22 GW of installed capacity; 1.12 GW in LV distribution, and 5.1 GW in HV distribution. Additionally, the results of the base case show a 4-hour installed storage capacity of 11.92 GW to 2040, of which 0.96 GW are in LV distribution networks, and 2.7 GW in HV distribution networks."

With regard to the challenges posed by distributed generation, the researcher and academic Matías Negrete (ISCI – PUC), pointed out in a note in the journal “Nueva Energía y Minería" that:

"All cutting-edge research and development points to increasingly decentralized and distributed networks and systems, complementing the historical vision of development based on large power plants and transmission infrastructure. Specifically, improvements should be made to the designs of wholesale and retail electricity markets; in long-term energy planning processes; access to credit for consumers who want to be self-sufficient; and in the promotion of R&D activities in technological solutions for the effective integration of distributed energy resources"