Central & South America

Brazilian scientists have assessed variations in temperature coefficients in solar modules to determine whether there is a relationship between the dependence of these coefficients and irradiance. They claim their work could be used to improve PV module performance modeling.

Following a disappointing COP27 climate change summit in November, solar industry veteran Philip Wolfe reviews the contribution utility-scale PV is starting to make to emissions reduction.

Grid operator ISA CTEEP has started commercially operating a large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Registro substation in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. The 30 MW/60 MWh BESS is expected to provide backup power to the grid during hours of peak demand in summer.

Colbun has completed the Diego de Almagro Sur solar plant in Chile’s Atacama region. It is connected to 8 MW/32 MWh of battery storage.

The 300 MW La Pimienta solar project is now selling electricity to Mexican utility CFE under a 15-year power purchase agreement. It is Mexico’s second-largest operational PV facility.

Brazil has deployed 7 GW of utility-scale solar and 14.98 GW of distributed-generation PV projects below 5 MW in size to date.

Chile has enacted the Renewable Energy Storage and Electromobility Law, which will compensate standalone storage projects for injecting electricity into the grid and being available at times of peak demand.

Argentina and Chile are reactivating the Andes Interconnection Line to facilitate the bidirectional exchange of energy. During the day, Argentina will receive 80 MW of solar from Chile, but it will export back 200 MW of natural gas at night.

Brazil’s Omega Energia’s new 4.6 GW solar project is set to become the world’s largest PV installation upon completion. However, the Brazilian state of Ceará has postponed plans to grant it an environmental license until Dec. 1.