The government of Chile this week will send a bill to Parliament to reduce taxes on the installation of solar panels on newly constructed homes that are worth up to 4,500 production units (Unidades de Fomento, UF), about 160,000 dollars. The benefit, which can very between 20 and 100 percent of the cost of the thermal solar system and its installation, will last five years and will operate through the construction companies, Energy Minister Marcelo Tokman said on Oct. 7.

The solar heaters will be used for water consumed in the new households. Each family could save some 200 dollars on natural gas in Santiago.

“I think it's an excellent idea, but in order to advance more quickly the government should install these heaters in all new public housing,” Mario Manríquez, of the Chilean Renewable Energy Association, told Tierramérica.