The good news for greener holidaying is that Chile, one of the most striking Latin American destinations, can now lay claim to being the renewable energy champion of the continent. This forward-thinking country has made great strides with its energy transition as it seeks to decarbonise the entire country by the middle of the century, in addition to efforts to protect its incredible landscapes and biodiversity.
Douglas Tompkins bought and donated an area roughly the size of Cyprus to Chile and Argentina for conservation, an act which inspired the Chilean president to create five new national parks, placing millions of acres of land under strict environmental protection and adding to a chain of 17 different parks that stretch south through the Chilean wilderness.
He dreamed of a place both hikers and wildlife alike could enjoy, and today that dream has come true. The Chilean section of Patagonia National Park is an environmental success story because it is a true example of ecosystem conservation, without interference from destructive human influences.
As soon as you step off the plane in a new country, you’ll be utilising its fuel and energy resources, so it is always good to know a country is doing its utmost to produce cleaner energy.
In line with most other Latin countries, Chile already has a significant share of hydroelectric power from its overall output, which accounted for nearly half of electricity generation last year. In addition, Chile has South America’s first geothermal power plant – Cerro Pabellon located in the Atacama Desert – which contributes greatly to native energy production.
Also situated in the Atacama is the El Romero Solar Plant, which is the biggest solar farm in Latin America, and there are many other solar farms planned for the near future.
The country also enjoys production from the El Arrayan Wind Farm, which is also the largest of its kind in Latin America! The country is slowly shutting down its 21 remaining coal-fired power plants, and in October 2022, solar and wind overtook coal as an energy source in the national grid for the first time in the country’s history.
Latin Routes collaborates with many environmentally friendly partners across Latin America to build the perfect holiday experience for you. One such example is our Chile specialist Explora – a certified carbon-neutral company since 2019.
They have established committees to manage the impact at each destination and consolidated an environmental footprint monitoring system, and are constantly striving to set new and ambitious green goals.
They recently evolved their purpose as a company to incorporate conservation as a central element of what they do at the core of this evolution. Their first-class lodge architecture was planned in a way that fits its natural surroundings to make it an extension of the territory itself.
A holiday to Chile is a great way to see the work being done in this country to help nature thrive. Get in touch to create and book your perfect trip, or call our Travel Specialists on 020 3820 1675.
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