Latin America-focused solar developer Atlas Renewable Energy has started operations at a 244MWp solar PV plant in Antofagasta, Chile. that will generate 714GWh annually.
The Sol del Desierto plant is fitted with bifacial modules and is expected to generate some 714GWh of electricity each year. Atlas has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Engie Energía Chile to supply 550GWh of power each year for 15 years.
Atlas has so far developed 441MW of solar PV projects in Chile and its presence in Latin America has seen the company contracted for projects across Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay with a total capacity of 2GWp.
Alfredo Solar, Atlas Renewable Energy’s general manager for Chile, said the company put a “strong commitment to the environment, the surroundings, and to inclusion” for this project by developing several initiatives to preserve the local nature and environment and hiring more women to work on its development.
As of February 2022, more than half of solar PV in Chile has been installed in the northern regions of Antofagasta (2178MW) and Atacama (2116MW), according to figures collected by the Chilean Association of Renewable Energy and Storage (ACERA). In total, the country has installed almost 6.5GW of solar PV so far.
Later this year, Chile will be holding a new power auction to contract 5,250GWh annually for 15 years as the country is targeting a 60% share of renewables in power generation by 2035.
The previous tender, held in September 2021, closed with an average price of US$23.78/MWh.