Roundup: Power project permitting, wind farm analysis

Energy projects involving combined investment of around US$800mn were submitted for environmental review, or accepted for processing, in Chile in recent days.

The biggest among them is EDF’s US$396mn Quebrada Locayo wind park, planned for Coquimbo region, and involving 240MW of installed capacity and a 300MWh battery system. Accepted for processing, the project is due to break ground in October 2026.

Review agency SEA also accepted for processing the US$300mn La Isla standalone battery storage project, filed by Parsosy Inti and planned for Valparaíso region. The initiative involves installing 250MW of batteries with five-hour injection capacity, for 1.25GWh. Construction is due to start in November 2025.

Elsewhere on the permitting map, 144MW solar PV park Layla de Verano was submitted for review. Filed by Verano Energy and planned for O’Higgins region, the US$98.0mn project also involves installing 600MWh of battery capacity. Pickaxes are due to start swinging in September 2028.

Wind park analysis 

Argentine province Chubut and a renewables unit of energy firm TotalEnergies inked an agreement to jointly drive forward a planned 200MW wind park in the jurisdiction.

Dubbed El Escorial, the park would allow the province to achieve energy sovereignty and reduce costs, the Chubut government said in a statement. 

The agreement encompasses project analysis work under a strategic alliance.

Total sought transmission priority dispatch capacity for El Escorial in an auction corresponding to 2Q24 but was not listed among the winners. Priority dispatch capacity is sought by renewable projects seeking to participate in the Mater term market, where the likes of renewable generators sell output to offtakers such as manufacturers. 

The firm has a wind park in Chubut (50MW Malaspina), along with wind assets in Buenos Aires (100MW Mario Cebreiro) and Santa Cruz (97.2MW Vientos Los Hércules) provinces, along with a solar plant in San Luis (30MW Caldenes del Oeste) province. A 14MW solar PV park, Amanacer, is in the construction phase in Catamarca province.

Total acquired Mario Cebreiro last year under an asset swap deal with energy firm Pampa Energía, which obtained a 45% stake in oil block Rincón de Aranda, giving Pampa full ownership of the license. Pampa is investing to spur oil output at the block.

Chubut has abundant wind resources. A wind-diesel hybrid was installed in 1989, followed by standard wind parks. The province today has 21 wind farms, many of them grouped into multi-phase complexes.

Aluminum producer Aluar has been driving installed wind capacity growth in Chubut, using output to decarbonize operations and for sale via the Mater term market.