Wind and solar PV-storage hybrid project projects involving more than US$700mn in investment were for filed for environmental review in Chile in recent days. The country is decarbonizing its grid and working to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, an objective that will hinge heavily on increased electrification of the economy and, potentially, adoption of sustainable fuels. Chile has a growing pipeline of renewables, hybrid and standalone storage projects. Energy storage systems are needed to help mitigate the intermittency of wind and solar PV. The bulk includes transmission lines to hook up the plants to the grid. Here BNamericas gives a snapshot of the four largest projects submitted.
Soles del Norte
The biggest, by required outlay, is the US$229mn Soles del Norte solar PV park, planned for Coquimbo region. Involving construction of a 131MW generation plant, the project was submitted by AMS Consultores and includes a four-hour injection duration battery storage system with capacity of 98,000kVA-411,600kWh, according to documents filed with environmental review agency SEA. Construction work is penciled in to start in January 2026.
Horizonte
The second-biggest among the recent flurry is an application, filed by generator Colbún, to boost the installed capacity of its flagship project, the 816MW Horizonte wind farm, by up to 180MW. Horizonte is being built in Antofagasta region, and the additional turbines would result in up to US$200mn being added to its original price tag, estimated at US$898mn. Output would climb by around 410GWh/y. Engineers plan to start bringing Horizonte online this year. Once operational, it will become the biggest wind farm in Chile and the second largest in Latin America.
Construction launch for the expansion is planned for July 2025.
Guanay
Planned for Valparaíso region by Ebco Energía, Guanay involves construction of a 123MW solar PV farm with a linked 120MW battery storage system. Work is scheduled to get underway on the US$160mn project in March 2026.
Pradera Larga
The fourth biggest, Pradera Larga involves construction of a 132MW solar park in Valparaíso region, along with a battery energy storage system that would be built on a 16,590m2 plot of land. Filed by Limes Renewable Energy, the project has a price tag of US$105mn and is due to enter construction in July 2025.
Source:bnamericas.com