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.

Why is energy storage important in Chile?

Image: Grenergy Grid constraints have prevented Chile from maximising the potential of its world-class solar resources. Energy storage has, therefore, become a necessity to ensure the financial viability of PV projects, writes Jonathan Tourino Jacobo.

How much energy storage will Chile have in 2024?

During the Energy Storage Summit Latin America (ESS LatAm) in October 2024, Ana Lía Rojas, executive director at the Chilean renewable energy and energy storage association (ACERA), explained how the current levels of curtailment in Chile, which could end up at approximately 5TWh in 2024, could power up to 3.4GW of 4-hour duration energy storage.

How much solar power does Chile use?

It uses 776,000 polycrystalline silicon photovoltaic modules. The solar irradiance has been measured at 853 W/m2 Chile has decided to use its abundant sun and wind to phase out coal-fired power by 2040 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Chile generated roughly 7 percent of its electricity from solar power in 2018.

Should energy storage be a luxury asset in Chile?

Having energy storage in Chile is no longer a luxury asset but has become an “absolute necessity”, explains Alejandro McDonough, business development manager of Americas area sales at Wärtsilä Energy Storage and Optimisation (Wärtsilä ES&O).

Is Chile ready for large co-located projects?

Appetite for large co-located projects is already present in Chile’s nascent market, notably Oasis de Atacama, one of the largest BESS projects being built globally, located in the Atacama region.