Astronomy, renewables and 'energy communities'

Building a renewable energy system for a telescope in Chile’s isolated Atacama Desert could also cover 66% of a nearby community’s energy needs.

This is the finding of recent research, published in Nature Sustainability, that examined the impact of integrating renewable energy sources into the design of the AtLAST telescope on the Chajnantor plateau — a global astronomical hotspot.

The Chajnantor plateau is home to observatories like the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Due to their remoteness, astronomical facilities like these are often disconnected from the national electricity grid, relying on diesel and gas generators to supply their power-intensive operations.

The researchers found that the renewable energy infrastructure brought in to power the AtLAST telescope could also be used by the astronomical community and nearby residential areas, thus reducing local reliance on fossil fuels.

Additionally, they showed that replicating similar energy systems at nearby telescopes could reduce fossil fuel-based energy generation by 30 GWh annually, cutting emissions by 18–24 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent while contributing to access to affordable renewable energy for surrounding communities.

Abundant solar, unequal access

While the Atacama Desert is a prime location for solar energy projects, holding the highest levels of solar irradiation globally, Atacameños don’t tend to benefit from this abundance. Instead, most renewable energy generated in the region is used to power lithium mines and exported to other provinces. The area hosts 85% of Chile’s solar energy developments, but Atacameños pay more for their energy than residents of the capital.

Chile’s national electricity grid ends 100 km from the town of San Pedro de Atacama, a tourist drawcard in the Atacama Desert. Until 2022, the town and its surrounding areas were powered solely by diesel and natural gas generators, and suffered frequent power outages.

The researchers identified the feasibility of using surplus energy from the AtLAST telescope’s energy system to supply San Pedro de Atacama.

“A solar renewable energy system sized to supply the telescope could cover 66% of the electricity demand of San Pedro de Atacama without additional capacities in PV or battery,” said co-author of the study Luis Ramirez Camargo, an assistant professor at Utrecht University’s Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development.

Energy communities

Sharing surplus energy from infrastructure is based on the concept of ‘energy communities’ — unions of public, private and commercial entities that jointly invest in or share energy infrastructure, or provide energy services. The process is founded on open and fair decision-making.

The researchers created spaces where local residents and other affected parties could share their views on the challenges and opportunities for a more sustainable energy system in the San Pedro de Atacama area.

“Allowing those who are truly affected to participate in the discussion and be able to influence decision-making is essential to arrive at just, locally applicable solutions for the energy transition,” said lead author Guillermo Valenzuela Venegas, a researcher at the University of Oslo.

Camargo added that distributing benefits to multiple stakeholders through an energy community could lead to a more socially accepted and just energy transition.

“Our research shows that astronomy can lead by example in the urgent transition to an equitable net-zero world, keeping our planet habitable and ensuring no one is left behind,” he said.

Image caption: Solar panels in the Atacama Desert. Image credit: iStock.com/abriendomundo