According to calculations by the National University of Central Buenos Aires and the Environment and Natural Resources Foundation (FARN), an Argentine NGO, by 2050 up to 32 percent of Argentina’s household electricity demand could be covered by distributed solar generation installed in residential buildings.
Conclusions Our work found a large gap between Argentina’s potential for solar energy utilization and the current solar energy deployment, despite advantages such as a high solar and land resources.
There is a measure of agreement that Argentina’s solar resource is ideal for photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal (ST) development, both for large- and small-scale (distributed) installations. The yearly Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index published by Ernst and Young places Argentina in the 18th position for PV .
Solar thermal energy in Argentina was already considered a potential key energy source in 1975 , when a national R&D program for the development of solar energy and other renewables was launched, leading to numerous research programs (see next section) and the elaboration of norms and certification criteria for ST collectors .
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. There is a large gap between the vast solar resources and the magnitude of solar energy deployment in Argentina. In the case of photovoltaics, the country only reached the 1000 GWh electricity generated yearly landmark in 2020.
Aerial view of the 5000 square meter roof full of solar panels, in one of the pavilions of La Rural, the busiest fair and exhibition center in Buenos Aires. It is the largest private solar park in the capital of Argentina and required an investment of almost one million dollars. CREDIT: Courtesy of La Rural