The Calama Solar 3 project agreement specifies construction and operation of one megawatt (MW) of installed power in a new PV power plant (equivalent to the consumption of 1,500 households). It will provide electric power to the mining company facilities in Chuquicamata, located in the north of Chile.
Moreover, it will be the first solar power plant in the world built without subsidies or specific tax benefits for solar energy. This is a milestone in the evolution of PV power and a result of the cost reduction in this technology.
Codelco will purchase the electric power generated by the solar plant under a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) at a long term stable price and at competitive rates compared to Northern Chiles electric system (SING) wholesale prices. This is known as grid-parity.
The plant will occupy an area of 6.25 Ha. Silicon PV modules will be installed on single shaft trackers. This great precision tracking system will enable the 4.080 PV modules to follow the suns path in its daily East-West movement.
This plant will generate clean energy in an area where it is much needed and will reduce CO2 emissions by around 1,680 tons per year. On the other hand, its environmental impact is minimal, not only because it does not generate CO2 emissions, but also because it does not require ground preparation, it needs very little water to operate and its height (max 2m) does not have a visual impact on the landscape. It will generate highly predictable electric power, even more in Northern Chile, an area noted for some of the highest solar radiation on the planet (nearly 2,500 kwh/m2/year).
Thanks to this radiation levels, the plant will generate 2.69 GWh of electricity per year. This PV power plant features a 31 percent capacity factor, making it the most productive in the world. These types of plants are very modular and, according to latest contracts signed in developed countries, industrial plants from 0,5 MW to 500 MW can be installed. In this particular case, electric power will be delivered to the Medium Voltage Grid (13,8 kv). The life cycle of this type of plant is 35 years.
The Calama Solar 3 plant will start operations in 2011, which will be a historic milestone, not only for Chile but for all South America, as it will be the first industrial PV 2/2 plant to start producing energy in the continent.
The Solarpack-Codelco contract is another example of PV energy entering a mature phase and alternative to conventional energy production in those markets offering high electricity prices and high solar radiation.
