More than half of the country’s solar power capacity (766 MW) is located in the northwestern provinces of Argentina, including Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán and Catamarca; another 40% (512 MW) is provided by power plants from the Cuyo region, which encompasses the provinces of San Juan, La Rioja, Mendoza and San Luis in the west of the country. Provinces in the central part of Argentina, such as Córdoba, Santa Fe and Entre Ríos (118 MW), are also crucial to the development of the industry.
However, despite a fairly wide regional coverage, solar generators still play a small role in the country’s energy supply system. According to the Ember research centre, photovoltaic panels accounted for just 2% of Argentina’s power output in 2022, whereas the total share of power plants using coal, gas and fuel oil stood at 66%, the share of nuclear reactors was 5%, and the shares of biomass, wind and hydroelectric power plants made up 2%, 9% and 16%, respectively.
Thanks to the relatively high share of low-carbon sources in its energy mix (38% in 2022, including NPPs), Argentina can minimise its CO2 emissions. Compared to the worldwide average of 494 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour of power generation in 2022, this indicator stood at precisely 400 grams of CO2 in Argentina. In the coming years, this figure will decrease both due to the construction of the small modular reactor CAREM-25 and the launch of new wind generators. According to Global Energy Monitor, the capacity of wind generators brought into operation in Argentina through most of 2023 totaled 81 MW, with another 921 MW yet to be launched as part of ongoing projects.
