Due to its ambitious climate goals and its growing population, Chile faces major challenges in the areas of environmental and energy policy as well as in the field of the sustainable use of natural resources. On one hand, Chiles wealth of renewable energies is enormous thanks to the high solar radiation in the north and the constant winds in the south. But on the other hand, the country is still fighting challenges like high air pollution in the cities, caused by the extensive usage of firewood for heating purposes and transport. In addition to that, natural resources are overused and waste treatment and recycling systems show high potential for improvement.
The challenges described above represent very interesting business opportunities for Swiss companies active in the areas of energy efficiency, energy production, water/wastewater, etc. In addition to that, Switzerland disposes of an energy management tool called “Energiestadt“. This instrument was being introduced in Chile as the first country in Latin America under the name “Ciudad Energética” and can be an ideal platform for Swiss companies to make their first steps in the Chilean market.
