Ruuf invests US$ 12 million to expand solar access for Chilean households

Ruuf, a leading Chilean startup in residential solar installations, announced the launch of the country’s largest local private investment fund dedicated exclusively to residential solar energy. The initiative aims to remove the financial barrier that has limited families’ access to clean energy solutions and marks a major milestone in Chile’s energy transition.

The fund will begin operations in the first quarter of 2026 and is designed to accelerate the adoption of rooftop solar in a country where only 0.4% of households currently have photovoltaic systems, roughly one in every 280 homes.

Expanding access to clean energy for Chilean families

The initiative seeks to change the current landscape of residential solar adoption in Chile, where only an estimated 0.4% of households have photovoltaic infrastructure, equivalent to just one in every 280 homes.

By addressing affordability and access, the fund is designed to significantly accelerate the deployment of residential solar systems and enable more families to participate in the country’s clean energy transition.

A landmark fund for residential solar projects

Ruuf’s private fund will start with an initial capital of USD 12 million, which will finance the installation of residential solar systems in approximately 1,300 households. The projects will span from the Valparaíso Region to the Los Lagos Region, expanding access to clean energy across a large portion of the country.

This initiative is positioned as a turning point for families seeking to generate their own energy, reduce electricity costs, and build a more sustainable relationship with energy consumption.

Removing financial and administrative barriers to solar adoption

According to Domingo García-Huidobro, CEO of Ruuf, the fund addresses the two main obstacles preventing households from adopting solar energy: financing and administrative complexity.

“The main goal of this initiative is to eliminate the barriers families face when adopting solar energy in their homes—namely financing and paperwork,” said García-Huidobro. “Through this fund, we will finance complete solar projects, battery systems, and, in the future, other key products for the residential energy transition, an area where the country still has significant gaps.”

In practical terms, the fund will allow 1,300 households to access credit to finance their solar projects without extensive income validations, collateral requirements, or lengthy approval processes. Families will be able to choose repayment terms between five and eight years.

Faster approvals through digital processes and satellite technology

Ruuf’s model significantly reduces administrative friction by streamlining risk assessment and project evaluation. Credit scoring, which traditionally takes weeks, will be completed within 24 hours. Project quotations will no longer depend on in-person technical visits, instead relying on remote assessments powered by satellite technology and immediate expert analysis.

This digital-first approach aims to make the solar adoption process faster, more efficient, and more accessible for families, without compromising financial security or reliability.

A more inclusive model for the energy transition

Ruuf states that the initiative is designed to democratize access to solar energy, enabling more households to move toward energy independence, lower electricity bills, and more sustainable consumption patterns.

Beyond immediate installations, the fund is intended to scale rapidly and serve as a foundation for future initiatives that continue to promote a cleaner, more accessible, and more equitable energy system across Chile.

Positioning Chile as a regional leader in residential solar finance

One of the most disruptive aspects of the initiative is its customer experience model. Unlike traditional financial institutions, Ruuf’s solution offers a fully digital onboarding process with reduced administrative friction, shorter implementation timelines, and easier decision-making for families.

This launch positions Chile as a regional benchmark in financial innovation applied to residential solar energy and consolidates Ruuf as a key player in reshaping the country’s energy model, placing people and their homes at the center of the transition.