3. Evolution of KPIs

a. KPI 1: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions per year, measured in ktCO2eq

National Greenhouse Gases trend

In 2020, national net emissions[2] and by GHG type were as follows: CO2 emissions accounted for 29,543 kt; CH4 emissions accounted for 610 kt; and N2O emissions accounted for 22 kt. In the case of fluorinated gases, HFC emissions accounted for 4,390 ktCO2e; PFC emissions were 0.5 ktCO2e; and SF6 emissions were 191 ktCO2e. Regarding precursor gases, in 2020 emissions nationwide were as follows: NOx accounted for 263 kt; CO accounted for 1,051 kt; non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) accounted for 352 kt; and finally, SO2 accounted for 318 kt.

In 2020, Chile’s GHG[3] balance accounted for 55,825 ktCO2e, increasing by 429% since 1990 and decreasing by 4% since 2018. The main drivers of the GHG balance trend are CO2 emissions generated by fossil fuel burning (accounted for in the Energy sector) and CO2 removals from forest land (accounted for in the LULUCF sector). The decrease in the 2020 balance compared to recent years is due to effects of health measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the economy and mobility restrictions across the country, as evidenced by the drop in emissions from the Energy sector which decreases by 5% since 2018, emissions associated with transportation.

The observed values that escape the GHG balance trend (in 1998, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2015 and especially in 2017) are mainly consequences of GHG emissions generated by forest fires (accounted for in the LULUCF sector) and changes in the share of the main energy consumed in the country (diesel, gasoline, natural gas and coal). The large forest fires of 2017 impacted the central and southern part of the country, affecting about 570,000 ha of forest land, crops, and pastures mainly. Only forest land fires in 2017 accounted for 68,223 ktCO2e, which is equivalent to more than what was emitted in sum by land transport, electricity generation and industries during the same year.

Regarding the country’s total GHG emissions[4]4 in 2020, they accounted for 105,552 ktCO2e, increasing by 116% since 1990 and decreasing by 4% since 2018. Regarding the share of each sector in the 2020 GHG balance in absolute terms, the Energy sector accounted for 51%, followed by the LULUCF sector (-32%), the agriculture sector (7%), the Waste sector (5%), and finally the IPPU sector (4%). This shows that, both in the GHG balance and in total emissions, the Energy sector is the most relevant.

b. KPI 2: Non-Conventional Renewable Energy (NCRE) Generation, as the percentage generated in the National Electric System, measured in megawatt hours (MWh)

The percentage of NCRE is measured as the energy produced by NCRE sources in 2022, and transmitted to the Chilean matrix, divided by the total energy produced in the Chilean matrix during the same year. For these purposes, it is considered as NCRE the energy coming from the following sources: wind, small run-of-river hydro (plants up to 20 MW of installed capacity), biomass[6], biogas, geothermal, solar[7] and ocean energy, and green hydrogen.

Thus, in 2022, the NCRE participation reached 33.4% of the total energy produced, compared to the 27.2% observed in 2021.

The information published by the National Electric Coordinator contains information by technology, as well as a separated file with NCRE produced by year. The KPI is calculated using this information.