MR. DIRECTOR

President Sebastián Piñera, at the launch of COP25, set a major challenge for the country: to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

In February, I stated that the focus of the decarbonization discussion is no longer on electric renewables, which are coming on their own. The challenge is how to decarbonize the entire energy matrix, with other energy-using sectors: industry, mining, construction, transportation, agriculture, fishing and aquaculture, etc. The real challenge is how we move these sectors to zero fossil fuel.

Andrea Rudnick, of the COP25 Presidential Advisory Committee, is more accurate. He reminds us that “one third of the energy sector’s emissions correspond to the transport sector, and the latter has not started this electric revolution. To achieve carbon neutrality, we need transport to move forward with clear signals. I don’t see those signals, because this sector is highly politically charged. It is a difficult, highly fragmented sector.

Chile was very proud of its progress in the electricity sector, leading the world ranking in renewable energy. Bloomberg’s 2018 report highlighted that. In addition to this, the decision was reached with the generating companies to abandon coal and gradually clean up our electricity matrix, in the hope that this will be enough to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

But I reiterate my previous message: this good news does not come alone; wind and solar electric power must be supported by other technologies, via complementary services. Decarbonization is not free; our electricity system will require greater flexibility, which must face new backup costs and investments. The challenges of decarbonization are even greater for transportation and industry.