AES Andes Halts Inna Project After 50% Light-Pollution Warning Near Paranal
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 29
AES Andes Halts Inna Project After 50% Light-Pollution Warning Near Paranal
1 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 29
Summary
AES Andes has dropped its planned Inna industrial complex near Chile’s Paranal Observatory, saying in early 2026 it will prioritize renewable energy and storage projects instead.
A 2025 European Southern Observatory analysis had warned Inna could raise light pollution above some telescopes by as much as 50%, while also adding air turbulence and vibrations that would degrade observations.
Astronomers say the retreat does not solve the underlying risk because Chile still relies on an outdated 10% sky-brightness threshold; for Paranal, one of only six professional observatories below 1% contamination, even a 1% increase matters.
They are pressing for stricter site-specific limits and a secondary rule that would let authorities force mitigation if regional light levels rise, warning multiple approved projects could collectively ruin one of Earth’s darkest skies.
The fight at Paranal reflects a wider trend: about 80% of people now live under light-polluted skies, and a recent study found global sky brightness increased by nearly 10% a year from 2011 to 2022.