Chile

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.

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.

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.

Four people who were carrying out inspection work at the Chilean Cerro Dominador solar thermal plant have suffered burns due to a high-temperature water leak. Two are in intensive care.

The Chilean energy regulator concluded an auction to supply electricity to the national system over a period of 15 years from 2027.

A solar facility with an installed power of 9 MW has come online at the Paranal Observatory operated by the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The PV plant is also intended to power the world’s largest telescope that is currently under construction at the observatory.

North Carolina State University (NCSU) has developed an energy-efficient strategy for room-temperature hydrogen release from liquid hydrogen carriers, which uses less rhodium. Elsewhere in the world, Airbus launched its Zero Emission Development Centre in the UK, Toshiba ESS teamed up with Fusion Fuel to target Australian and European markets, and Corfo signed agreements to finance three renewable hydrogen projects with GNL Quintero, iCAP, and Air Liquide in Chile.

Chile is launching a new initiative to reuse PV modules via a public-private partnership involving Enel Green Power.

The allocated land will be used for either wind or solar power projects. Interested developers will have time until May 25 to submit their project proposals.