Atlas Renewable Energy starts commercial operations of its 244 MW solar plant in Chile; Engie Brasil acquires 260 MW in Brazil; Ecopetrol starts solar powered green hydrogen production plant in Colombia.
244 MW solar plant online in Chile: Atlas Renewable Energy has energized its 244 MW Sol del Desierto Solar Power Plant in Chile’s Maria Elena, Antofagasta region. Equipped with 582,930 bifacial solar panels, the plant will generate close to 714 GWh annually. It is contracted with Engie Energia Chile under a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) to supply 550 GWh annually. Atlas said it is one of the largest solar power plants in the country and contributes to the country’s decarbonization plans.
Engie Brasil acquires 260 MW solar: The Brazilian subsidiary of France’s Engie Group, Engie Brasil has acquired 2 solar power plants with 260 MW combined capacity from Engie Solar SAS, Solairedirect Investment Management and Drankensberg Capital. The BRL 625 million ($122 million) deal saw 158.3 MW Paracatu and 101.5 MW Floresta solar projects exchanging ownership. Both the projects are operational and for some part are contracted under 20-year PPAs.
Ecopetrol starts pilot green hydrogen project in Colombia: Ecopetrol of Colombia has commissioned a pilot green hydrogen project with a 50 kW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer, powered by 270 solar panels in Cartagena Refinery. The pilot will run for next 3 months, using industrial water from the refinery to produce 20 kg of high purity green hydrogen per day. Ecopetrol said the plan is to evaluate the technical and environmental feasibility of the technology, as well as to determine the use of water and electricity. Green hydrogen produced will improve the quality of fuels produced at the refinery which till now is being sourced as gray hydrogen. At a later stage, it plans to expand green hydrogen production capacity to be used for sustainable mobility, among other uses.
