The Net-Zero Circle

What is the main challenge that Chile is facing today in energy development?

Chile has a bright future ahead in relation to the energy transition. Not only does it have excellent conditions to generate significant amounts of renewable energy but is also, according to many analysts, home to the largest reserves of lithium in the world, a critical mineral that is key for this transition away from fossil fuels. In this regard, Chile´s biggest challenge is how to develop lithium projects quickly enough to meet the global demand while assuring high levels of environmental and social standards. Companies like CleanTech Lithium aim at both utilizing more efficient technologies such as Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) to extract and process lithium, use renewable energies and recycling processed water to reduce total consumption, and work closely with local indigenous communities to share value.

As the CEO of a lithium company advancing clean energy solutions, how do you see Chile’s role evolving in the global critical minerals supply chain?

Chile will play a fundamental role in the years to come. It´s openness to global markets and rule of law tradition will enable the development of new projects that will allow the world to meet the demand of these critical minerals. Lithium, cobalt, copper, gold and other minerals extracted and processed in Chile will be able to be distributed to different global regions where batteries and EVs are manufactured.

With your experience across law, public affairs and sustainability, what do you believe is key to building long-term trust between the lithium industry, communities and government stakeholders?

In my experience, transparency and collaboration are the key to develop the necessary trust between the different actors. Local communities, governments, vendors, industry experts and end customers, all of them want to understand how lithium is produced, how much value is shared in the country, and how they can contribute to the energy transition by using our products and collaborating with us.

Today, stakeholders want more than just annual reports or declarations of good will, they want verifiable information that can be independently confirmed; and they want humility and accountability from companies to acknowledge areas of improvement and seek for continuous improvement. Therefore, building knowledge and doing joint research with universities and other institutions, developing local vendors, and sharing timely, accurate and transparent information about our processes and impacts are aspects that need to be part of any project.

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August 29, 2025

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Interview

Exclusive Interview: JA Solar on Driving Chile’s Renewable Future

In this exclusive interview, JA Solar highlights its role as a long-term partner in Chile’s energy transition. With cutting-edge innovations like DeepBlue 4.0 Pro and N-type TOPCon modules, the company is helping lower LCOE, strengthen project bankability, and accelerate renewable integration, while emphasising the need for transmission upgrades, regulatory clarity, and stronger public-private collaboration.

August 8, 2025

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Interview

Exclusive Interview with Segio Ferrari, Director de Power Systems, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay

August 8th, 2025 London (The Net-Zero Circle). In this exclusive interview, Sergio Ferrari from Schneider shares how its SF₆-free AirSeT technology is helping Argentina and Latin America build cleaner, smarter and more resilient energy systems while accelerating the region’s transition to a decarbonized future.

July 24, 2025

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Interview

Ignacio Mehech: “Chile’s biggest challenge is meeting global lithium demand while upholding social and environmental standards”

In this exclusive interview, Ignacio Mehech, CEO of CleanTech Lithium, outlines Chile’s strategic position in the global energy transition. He highlights the country’s potential to lead in renewable energy and critical minerals—especially lithium—while stressing the importance of accelerating project development without compromising environmental or social responsibility. Mehech also reflects on how transparency, collaboration, and community engagement are key to building long-term trust among stakeholders, and why Chile’s legal certainty and global openness will be instrumental to securing its role in the future of clean energy supply chains.

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