Chile wants to become a powerhouse in renewable energy by using molten salt to store large amounts of energy and compensate for days when solar or wind supply is not possible, replacing fossil fuels!

Chile is betting on molten salt energy storage technology that promises to transform green electricity generation.

Chile is at the forefront of an energy revolution that promises to transform the future of renewable energy. In the heart of the Atacama Desert, where the sun shines brightly and the winds are constant, an innovative technology is being tested: the use of molten salt as a means of storing energy. This solution could be the key to overcoming one of the biggest challenges facing renewable energy: efficient and safe energy storage to ensure continuous supply, even in periods without sun or wind.

What is molten salt and how it stores energy

The sCast iron is a material composed of a mixture of inorganic salts, generally sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate, which, when heated to high temperatures, transforms into a dense and highly efficient liquid for storing heat.

This property makes molten salt an ideal solution for thermal energy storage systems, where the stored heat can be used to generate electricity, even in the absence of sunlight or wind.

The Atacama Desert, in western Chile, is home to the Cerro Dominador plant, where an innovative experiment using this material is underway. With the help of 10.600 giant mirrors, sunlight is concentrated and directed to the top of a central tower.

The intense light heats the molten salt to temperatures exceeding 500°C, allowing this solution to store heat for long periods. When necessary, the stored heat is used to generate electricity, ensuring continuous energy supply, even at night or on cloudy days.

A solution to the intermittency of solar and wind sources

This storage technology represents a breakthrough for renewable energy, as it offers a solution to the intermittency of solar and wind sources.

Molten salt, unlike other materials, does not vaporize at high temperatures and can retain energy for weeks, or even months, in well-insulated tanks. This makes it possible to operate the turbines at the Cerro Dominador plant 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without directly depending on the constant presence of sunlight or wind.

Chile uses molten salt in response to challenges facing renewable energy

The use of molten salt in Chile is a response to the challenges that renewable energy currently faces. Although they are clean and abundant, the main limitation of these sources is the difficulty of storage. Without an efficient way to store the energy generated, excess production on sunny or windy days can be wasted.

Molten salt comes into play as an effective solution to this problem, functioning as a “thermal battery” that can store large amounts of energy for future use.

The researchers from University of Antofagasta are working to optimize the mixture of salts used in this process. Currently, the most common formula is “solar salt”, composed of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate, which has a high heat storage capacity.

However, there are still challenges to be overcome, such as the corrosiveness of salts and the durability of the materials used in tanks and pipes. Research continues to improve the efficiency and longevity of this technology, which is already showing promise.

Chile's potential as a leader in renewable energy

Chile has a unique combination of natural conditions and technological advances that position it as a potential leader in the global renewable energy market. The intense sun of the Atacama Desert and the energy storage capacity provided by molten salt create an environment conducive to large-scale clean and sustainable energy production.

This energy production and storage model not only offers a solution for Chile, but can also be replicated in other regions of the world. Countries with high solar or wind incidence can benefit from this technology, using molten salt to store energy and guarantee a continuous supply.

Furthermore, the use of renewable energy and the development of storage technologies like this are crucial to the production of green hydrogen, which is seen as the fuel of the future by the European Union.

Chile wastes part of the renewable energy produced

Despite advances, there are still challenges to be overcome so that Chile can harness the full potential of renewable energy. Currently, between 10% and 20% of the renewable energy produced in the country is wasted due to a lack of transmission network capacity. The current infrastructure is not sufficient to handle the large amount of energy generated, and investments are needed to modernize and expand the network.

The corrosiveness of salts used to store energy is a problem that requires new solutions. More corrosion-resistant materials and more efficient thermal insulation technologies are areas of active research that could increase the viability and durability of molten salt storage systems.

However, the opportunities are immense. If Chile can overcome these challenges, it could become an exporter of renewable energy technology and knowledge, contributing to the global energy transition. The Cerro Dominador model can serve as an inspiration for other countries, demonstrating that it is possible to store and use renewable energy effectively and continuously.