Chile has established itself as the regional leader in battery technology by changing its market rules to encourage investment alongside its massive wind and solar projects. According to the authors of the newly released report, this strategy allows the country to capture excess clean energy that would otherwise be wasted due to limited power line capacity.
“Since Chile allowed energy storage to participate in electricity markets for energy arbitrage and capacity payments in 2022, BESS deployment has accelerated.” The report further notes that “More than 80% of operating and under-construction BESS projects in Chile are colocated with wind and solar farms.”
Chile’s success stems from legal changes that let battery operators earn money by storing cheap power during the day and selling it when prices rise. Most of these batteries are built directly at wind and solar sites to act as a buffer, soaking up extra electricity that the current power grid is too crowded to move. This approach helps the country meet its green energy goals without waiting for expensive new power lines to be finished.
The report “Energy Storage Signals Shift to Renewable Grids” was published in March 2026 by the Global Energy Monitor. Prepared by lead author Ye Huang, the briefing analyzes the rapid global expansion of battery storage systems and their essential role in integrating variable wind and solar power into modern electricity grids.
