Central & South America

The Chilean environmental authorities are currently scrutinizing the projects Solar La Pampina (160 MW), Gabriela (220 MW), Ghungnam Kcs (709 MW of PV and 300 MW of CSP), Pelequén (175 MWp), and Planta Solar Sol del Loa (640 MW).

A Carbon Tracker report estimates 60% of the world’s technical solar potential – enough to produce 3.5 exawatt-hours of clean electricity per year – would already be cheaper than fossil fuel if installed. Of the remainder, most would be in sub-Saharan Africa, a region which has the potential to be a global solar and wind powerhouse.

According to a recent report from Brazilian consultancy Greener, unsubsidized solar projects are proliferating in the Latin American country. The study also reveals that the utility scale PV projects that are in an early or intermediate stage of development, have a combined capacity of 98.9 GW.

Bolivia has launched a second international call, after a first attempt failed in 2019, to seek potential investors for its huge lithium resources.

The $18bn worth of sustainable finance instruments floated in the nation last year marked a retreat from previous highs but, with most of the bonds issued from July onwards, the recovery is under way, according to the IFC, which is anticipating a more-than-$100 billion sector in emerging markets over the next three years.

A new CELA Clean Energy Latin America study looks at 70 power purchase agreements signed for wind and solar PV projects in Brazil.

Project selected in the auctions will be granted a 15-year PPA and will have to begin delivering power in December 2022.

Oxfordshire-based Oxis Energy says it will produce the less flammable devices sought by the aviation industry using the same manufacturing processes as those used to make lithium-ion and conventional-lithium-sulfur products.

An group of international scientists has developed a mathematical model to design hybrid renewable energy systems relying on pumped hydro storage for islands. According to their analysis, which was applied to the Ometepe island in Nicaragua, a similar system could provide a cost of energy ranging from €0.047/kWh to €0.095/kWh.

A consortium led by Abengoa and Acciona has commissioned a 110 MW concentrated solar power project, paired with 100 MW of PV, in Chile’s Atacama Desert.