Chile’s Atacama Desert is famous for its clear skies, making it an ideal spot for ground-based astronomy. Recently, scientists celebrated the cancellation of a major project that threatened this pristine environment.
The project, known as INNA, was a massive $10 billion green hydrogen and ammonia facility. It included plans for ports, transportation links, and solar power plants. For nearly a year, Chile’s environmental regulator reviewed it.
Astronomers raised concerns about how close INNA would be to top observatories. They feared it would bring light pollution, vibrations, and dust, all of which could disrupt telescope readings in a region revered for its astronomical clarity.
Itziar de Gregorio from the European Southern Observatory noted, “This cancellation means no negative impact on the Paranal Observatory.” Paranal is home to some of the world’s most advanced telescopes, including the Very Large Telescope, which has contributed to three Nobel Prize-winning discoveries. The Extremely Large Telescope, currently under construction, will push our understanding of the universe further by searching for Earth-like exoplanets.
Despite this win, de Gregorio reminds us that work is not done. “We still need strong protections for our skies,” she emphasized. This situation highlights the ongoing battle between industrial development and scientific preservation.
Chile’s environmental evaluation service confirmed the project has been formally withdrawn after discussions with AES Andes, the company behind it. AES Andes, part of the U.S.-based AES Corporation, has diverse energy interests across South America.
Concerns about the INNA project echoed throughout the scientific community. An open letter, signed by 2020 Nobel laureate Reinhard Genzel, urged the Chilean government to halt the development. He emphasized that the facility’s location, just 11.6 kilometers from the Paranal Observatory, posed an unacceptable risk to scientific exploration.
As industries increasingly seek green energy solutions, the challenge remains to balance these ambitions with the needs of scientific research. Inserting strong, clear regulations is crucial to protect sensitive areas like the Atacama Desert, ensuring that future projects do not come at the cost of astronomical discoveries.
For more on the importance of astronomy in Chile, you can check out this related article.
