Is Chile ready for a battery storage project?

Battery storage projects cannot come soon enough for Chile. While Chile has been at the forefront of renewable energy generation growth in Latin America for close to a decade, that growth has most recently undergone serious growing pains.

How many energy storage projects are in Chile?

According to a December 2023 publication on the InvestChile website, the country had 23 approved energy storage projects with a total of 3,000 MW of capacity. Chile is exploring a variety of solutions to keep abreast of the changing energy demand landscape ranging from BESS to innovative projects using CO2.

Is Chile ready for a standalone energy storage project?

This project alone nears the capacity (13GWh) the Chilean Ministry of Energy sought in a public land bidding auction for standalone energy storage projects in May of 2024. Chile has been one of the countries at the forefront of the renewable energy transition in Latin America, first with solar PV and now with BESS.

Where are Chile's battery energy storage facilities located?

Chile’s first battery energy storage projects were commissioned in 2009, and all but two of its 16 administrative regions have facilities in operation, under construction or in the planning stage. The greatest installed capacity is found in the northern regions of Antofagasta and Tarapacá, the country’s solar powerhouses.

Are battery energy storage systems a viable alternative for Chilean power producers?

With transmission lines at overcapacity and permitting delays slowing the development of new grid infrastructure, battery energy storage systems (BESS) have surged as a profitable alternative for Chilean power producers.

What is the largest battery-based energy storage system in Latin America?

In March 2024, BESS Coya, the largest battery-based energy storage system in Latin America, started operations. The facility is located in the Antofagasta region and has a storage capacity of 638 MWh, with 139 MW of installed capacity. The project utilizes lithium-ion batteries and stores the energy generated by the 180-MW Coya photovoltaic plant.