Codelco and Solarpack will build the first industrial solar plant in South America
Solarpack, the Spanish multi-national company specializing in solar photovoltaic power plant development, investment, consulting, and services, and Codelco, the largest copper producer in the world, will construct the first industrial solar electric power plant in South America.
The Calama Solar 3 project agreement specifies construction and operation of 1MW of installed power in a new solar photovoltaic power plant (equivalent to the consumption of 1,500 households). It will provide electric power to the mining company facilities in Chuquicamata, located in the north of Chile.
Calama Solar 3 will be the first solar power plant in the world built without subsidies or specific tax benefits for solar energy. Codelco will purchase the electric power generated by the solar plant under a PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) at a long term stable price and at competitive rates compared to Northern Chile’s electric system (SING) wholesale prices.
The plant will occupy an area of 6.25 Ha. Silicon PV modules will be installed on single shaft trackers. This great precision tracking system will enable the 4.080 PV modules to follow the sun’s path in its daily East-West movement.
This plant will generate clean energy in an area where it is much needed and it will reduce CO2 emissions in 1,680 tons per year. On the other hand, its environmental impact is minimal, not only because it does not generate CO2 emissions, but also because it does not require ground preparation, it needs very little water to operate and its height (max 2m) does not have a visual impact on the landscape.
It will generate highly predictable electric power, even more in Northern Chile, an area noted for some of the highest solar radiation on the planet (nearly 2,500 kwh/m2/year). Thanks to this radiation levels, the plant will generate 2.69 GWh of electricity per year. This Solar photovoltaic power plant features a 31% capacity factor, making it the most productive in the world. The life cycle of this type of plant is 35 years.
The Calama Solar 3 plant will start operations in 2011, which will be a historic milestone, not only for Chile but for all South America, as it will be the first industrial solar photovoltaic plant to start producing energy in the continent. .
Source: http://www.solarplaza.com/
Photo: davepope
