Date: October 18
With the presence of the Minister of Energy, Diego Pardow, Enel Green Power Chile inaugurated the Central Azabache (60.9 MW), the first hybrid non-conventional renewable generation plant at the national level, thanks to the fact that it operates jointly with the wind farm Valle de Los Vientos (90 MW), a feature that further reduces the environmental impact and has more efficient electricity production cycles, advantages that we explain at Infoenergética in one of our most widely read articles, by Kim Keats and Andrés Muñoz.
Synergy and benefits
Located 10 kilometers from Calama, in the Antofagasta Region, Azabache is located next to the Valle de los Vientos wind farm, where the space available between the wind turbines made it possible to locate a solar park. The consequent use of roads and common facilities between both parks brought different synergies in construction and operation. The incorporation of Azabache to the National Electric System allows this hybrid complex to generate energy during practically the whole day: the peak moment of the solar plant is between 12:00 and approximately 4:00 p.m. and in the case of Valle de los Winds, the peak will be during the afternoon when the wind picks up more force.
It is estimated that the Central Azabache will be able to inject an average of 184 GWh annually into the National Electric System, avoiding the emission of approximately 135,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It has 154,170 installed bifacial panels, state-of-the-art technology in this area, which allows solar radiation to be captured on both sides of the photovoltaic panel, in order to transform it into electrical energy, with the possibility of achieving up to 20% greater generation capacity.
“Projects like Central Azabache are fundamental not only because of what they will inject into the National Electric System but because of how symbolic they are for the rest of our energy matrix. Azabache is a grassroots renewable energy project and thereby provides the security that the system needs to take responsible steps in the energy transition. The promotion of this type of energy is one of the enabling conditions that we have identified as key to decarbonization,” said Energy Minister Diego Pardow.
“Central Azabache marks a new milestone in our decarbonization plan that seeks to accelerate a fair energy transition in the country, in line with our objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. Just over two weeks after having disconnected our last coal-fired plant In Chile, this is a new step on the way from a generation matrix that includes fossil fuels to one based on 100% renewable generation,” said Fabrizio Barderi, general manager of Enel Chile.
Source: Infoenergetica
