Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC): Capacities in clean technologies for Chile
The rector of the University of Chile Rosa Devés and the rector Ignacio Sánchez refer to the challenges and benefits that the installation of an Institute of Clean Technologies entails in the north of Chile. “The magnitude of this Institute is a strategic matter of the first importance, because it represents the country’s decision to advance towards a position of international leadership in clean technologies, providing it with capacities that allow it to have a relevant role in the world concert in matters of clean technology. clean technologies”, they underline in a column reproduced by El Mercurio.
“In the middle of this year, the award of the Institute of Clean Technologies (ITL), the most important investment in applied innovation that the State of Chile has planned to carry out in its history, with sufficient scale to produce a real change in diversification and differentiation of production, with a vision of a green and modern economy, and with a clear and significant regional component, suffered a severe setback. The Supreme Court accepted an appeal for constitutional protection, presented by the rectors of 7 universities and instructed Corforoll back the bidding process and adopt measures to correct the irregularities that occurred in the award process carried out in January 2021. This award, which contemplates the delivery of US$ 193 million over a period of 10 years, is still pending. The need to award this important project as soon as possible refers especially to the urgency of promoting R&D&I processes of the highest level in the country that will have a decisive impact on its development.
The Consortium that makes up our Universities, represented by the Alta Ley Corporation, which brings together the Association for the Development of Clean Technologies (ASDIT) , made up of 11 national universities, 8 international R&D centers, mining piloting centers, and leading companies in the mining and energy field, which have worked tirelessly over the years on different projects aimed at raising the ITL in the Antofagasta region, was the one with the highest score in the international rating.
“Taking advantage of the unique conditions of the Antofagasta region, a new sustainable industry is created that will transform the productive structure and quality of life in northern Chile and the country, and will position the country as a world-class supplier of sustainable minerals for the urgent challenges that climate change presents for humanity”- Rector Rosa Devés and Rector Ignacio Sánchez
Taking advantage of the unique conditions of the Antofagasta region, a new sustainable industry is created that will transform the productive structure and quality of life in northern Chile and the country, and will position the country as a world-class supplier of sustainable minerals for the urgent challenges that climate change presents to humanity. ASDIT’s goal is to articulate innovation projects that allow our minerals industry to halve its carbon footprint by 2030 and that we are capable of producing green hydrogen at a cost of less than 1.5 USD per kilo before that period. in the Antofagasta region, making our country a world leader in this field.
Among the many benefits of installing an Institute of Clean Technologies in the north of Chile, the integration, participation and commitment of various essential actors from the energy, water, mining sectors with the participation of academia, technology centers , piloting centers, industrial and service companies, regional and national suppliers, from the world of innovation and public actors, to work together in the development of these industries.
“The integration, participation, and commitment of various essential actors in the energy, water, and mining sectors with the participation of academia, technology centers, piloting centers, industrial and service companies, regional and national suppliers, from the world of innovation and public actors, to work together in the development of these industries” – rector Rosa Devés and rector Ignacio Sánchez
Along with offering the generation of an advanced human resource for the region and the country, and constituting an environmentally sustainable development model that results in quality jobs and improvement of the quality of life for the Antofagasta region, it includes training in new areas of knowledge and industrial development in the five business areas considered by the ITL: green hydrogen, sustainable mining, solar energy and solar concentration of power, water and water availability, lithium and new materials.
Never before has there been an opportunity in Chile to take advantage of the synergy and complementarity of these actors in pursuit of a structural transformation of the region’s development model. The magnitude of this Institute is a strategic matter of the first importance, because it represents the country’s decision to advance towards a position of international leadership in clean technologies, equipping it with capacities that allow it to have a relevant role in the world concert in matters of technologies. clean”.