Chile, well on its way to becoming the first developed nation in the region, has its sights on one more milestone: Increasing its renewable energy generation to up to 50% of the entire country’s needs. With its wealth of natural resources, Chile has unbounded potential for green energy production, which has been largely untapped until recent years.

The current dependence on mini-hydro, biomass, wind and solar energy sources makes up only around 5% of Chile’s consumption today, but the additional infrastructure of current, planned and pending projects, if successful, will bring this number up to nearly 50% of the country’s total energy usage in the years to come. The diverse and relatively unobtrusive nature of these renewable energy sources also means less need for energy transportation over great distances, cutting down on unnecessary consumption and environmental impact. This commitment to renewable energy and the environment proves that economic growth does not have to compromise the country’s natural splendor.