The Atacama Desert in Chile is a prime location for astronomical facilities, hosting numerous observatories, especially on the Chajnantor plateau. Most of these facilities still depend on fossil fuel power generation due to their remote locations and distance from the national grid, without considering the social and energy needs of nearby communities. However, this reliance introduces risks related to fossil fuel price fluctuations and climate change, as well as missed opportunities to support communities facing similar energy challenges.
The new observatory, the Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST), aims to incorporate social and environmental sustainability from the design phase while involving stakeholders in decision-making to find energy solutions that also benefit local communities.
In this talk, we will present the results from the first phase of the project, detailing how we analyzed the suitability of a renewable electricity system for AtLAST by combining an electricity system model with a participatory multi-criteria analysis. We will then discuss how this techno-social approach helps enhance energy justice by benefiting both the telescope and the community, as well as the challenges ahead, which will be addressed in this current second phase of the project.
