Chilean electricity supplier AES Gener has proposed to develop a renewable energy hybrid project with a combined capacity of 863 MW to be developed as 513 MW of solar PV park and 350 MW of wind farm. It will have 2 energy storage banks of lithium ion batteries. The company has submitted its environmental impact assessment (EIS) for the project with the Chilean Environmental evaluation service (SEA).
The Parque Terra Energia Renovable Project will be located in Taltal district in Chile's Antofagasta region and is expected to generate 620 direct jobs during construction.
The solar PV park of 513 MW capacity will have more than 1 million bifacial solar panels. The project is likely to cost a total of $750 million. AES Gener anticipates construction to start on site in 2022.
"With this hybrid initiative, combining three technologies, we want to ratify our commitment to Chile and its sustainable recovery. Parque Terra Energía Renovable is part of our Greentegra strategy, which aims to accelerate the decarbonization of the energy matrix by incorporating innovative and competitive renewable energies," said AES Gener CEO Ricardo Falú.
AES Gener boasts of having signed long term energy contracts for 8.1 TWh annually and currently has 2.2 GW of solar, wind and hydroelectric energy and batteries to add to its portfolio.
In March 2020, the company announced $1.8 billion investment to build 1.6 GW of solar and wind power capacity in Chile and Colombia (see AES Gener To Invest In 1.6 GW Solar & Wind Capacity).