- Ecuador has announced a solar and storage project for San Cristobal Island with 1 MW DC solar and 2.2 MWh battery energy storage
- Enel Chile aims to increase its installed capacity in the country to 3.3 GW by 2024
- Clean Capital Energy has brought online its 1st (87 MW) out of 4 solar PV projects planned for Chile
Solar & storage plant for Ecuador’s Galapagos: The Ecuadorian Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources (MERNNR) has announced a solar and storage project that when commissioned ‘in the coming days’ will benefit 8,000 citizens of San Cristobal Island in Galapagos. The 1 MW DC solar PV and 2.2 MWh battery energy storage plant has been constructed by a consortium of Korea’s KEPCO and Woojin Industrial System Co. Ltd. under the supervision of Korean Institute for the Advancement of Technology (KIAT). Construction of the energy evacuation infrastructure was the responsibility of Galapagos Electric Company (ELECGALAPAGOS). The $7 million facility will bring down consumption of 133,000 gallons of diesel annually. It is part of the Zero Fossil Fuels in the Galapagos Islands initiative of the Ecuadorian government.
In August 2021, the government said, the consortium of Gransolar and Total Eren for 14.8 MW solar PV and 40.9 MWh battery storage Conolophus Renewable Energy Microgrid Project were part of the initiative (see Latin America PV Snippets: Ecuador, Argentina, Helexia).
Enel Chile aims for 3.3 GW by 2024: Enel Chile aims to report an installed capacity of 3.3 GW by 2024 under its Strategic Plan 2022-2024, out of which it says 1.3 GW is already at an advanced stage of construction. This under construction capacity includes 2 solar power plants for around 773 MW, namely 375 MW Sierra Gorda Solar Project in Antofagasta, and 398 MW Campos del Sol II Project in Atacama. The group has 163 MW Valle del Sol Project at an advanced stage of construction in Antofagasta. It expects to bring the 1.3 GW capacity online before the end of 2021 and in the beginning of 2022. Recently, Enel Chile’s parent company Enel of Italy preponed its net zero timeline by a decade as it aims to have cumulative renewable energy capacity of around 154 GW by 2030 under the group’s 2022-2024 Strategic Plan (see 154 GW Renewables For Enel By 2030).
CCE commissions 87 MW solar plant in Chile: Austria’s Clean Capital Energy (CCE) has commissioned 1st of its 4 solar projects in Chile. The 87 MW solar project in La Higuera municipality in the north of Santiago de Chile has been realized for over $70 million. The grid connected facility will generate around 220 GWh annually. La Huella Solar Project is equipped with 214,704 high efficiency solar panels and trackers.
