Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has signed into law a renewable-energy bill aimed at diversifying power generation in this energy-strapped country. The congressionally approved measure, signed by Bachelet on March 20, establishes gradual increases in the percentage of Chile’s electricity produced from renewable sources. Although the Bachelet administration hails the new law as a milestone, many environmentalists and legislators say it falls short of harnessing Chile’s alternative-energy capabilities. The measure requires that by 2010, Chilean electricity producers whose annual output is 200 megawatts or more must generate at least 5% of their output through solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, small-scale hydroelectric, wave or other alternative energy technologies. It mandates an annual 0.5% increase in that quota beginning in 2015 so that by 2024... [Log in to read more]