AES Andes breaks ground on 1.3GW solar-wind-storage projects in Chile

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Solar-plus-storage project in Antofagasta, Chile
AES Andes currently has more than 2.1GW of renewable energy projects under construction in Chile. Image: AES Andes.

Utility AES Andes has started construction on two renewable energy projects in Chile, with a combined 1.3GW of capacity.

Located in the northern region of Antofagasta, the Pampas and Cristales projects will combine solar PV, wind and energy storage.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The Pampas project will consist of 229MW of solar PV, 128MW of wind capacity and a 171MW battery energy storage system (BESS) with a 5-hour duration, according to the company’s project presentation. The power rating of the BESS has been drastically reduced since last year, when the company received an Environmental Qualification Resolution in August 2024, as covered by our sister-site Energy-storage.news. At the time, the project was expected to build a 5-hour duration BESS with a 624MW power output.

The Cristales project will consist of 288MW of solar PV and a 340MW BESS with a 4-hour duration. Both projects will install bifacial modules with terrain-following trackers.

Combined, the projects will increase Chile’s installed renewable energy capacity by 1,3250MW with AES Andes investing more than US$1.1 billion between the two projects.

Commercial operations are expected to begin in 2027 for both projects.

Co-locating BESS with solar PV in Chile

The co-location of BESS with solar PV or wind in Chile has become a necessity (Premium access) in the country, with curtailment issues growing year after year. Data from the Chilean renewable energy and energy storage association (ACERA) registered nearly 6TWh of solar PV and wind curtailment in 2024 in the country, more than doubling 2023’s numbers.

As the need for co-locating solar PV with energy storage increases, many companies in Chile have either added energy storage capacity to standalone solar PV projects or built co-located projects. AES Andes is among the many companies that have reached commercial operations of solar-plus-storage projects in the past 12 months.

Last October, the utility completed the Andes Solar Park IV, which comprises 211MW solar PV and a 130MW lithium-based BESS with a 5-hour duration. Similar to the 1.3GW renewables portfolio currently under construction, it is located in the northern region of Antofagasta, which is known for having some of the highest irradiation levels in the world (Premium access).

Chile is one of the leading countries in Latin America when it comes to energy storage and has already commissioned more than 1GW of BESS, with two projects from AES Andes.

Aside from these two renewable energy projects, the company has three other projects under construction in Chile with a portfolio of 2.1GW currently being built.

All three other projects currently being built by AES Andes contain BESS capacity, two of which are to be co-located with solar PV. One of the co-located projects is the Andes Solar III, which is expected to begin commercial operations in February 2026. Once operational, the project will consist of 171MW of solar PV and a 171MW BESS with a 5-hour duration.

Read Next

October 8, 2025
The NSW Independent Planning Commission has granted planning approval for Potentia Energy's 500MW Tallawang solar-plus-storage project.
October 8, 2025
Frontier Energy plans to expand its Waroona Renewable Energy Project into a renewable energy precinct by 2031, targeting up to 1GW solar.
October 6, 2025
Rajasthan government will develop 500MW/2,000MWh of standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a four-hour single-cycle configuration and extended operational life.
September 30, 2025
SynergyRED, a wholly owned subsidiary of Synergy, has submitted a development application for a 2GW hybrid renewable energy project in Western Australia's Mid-West Region.
September 25, 2025
Spanish renewables developer X-Elio has commissioned its first solar-plus-storage project in the US, which comprises of 72MW solar PV.
September 25, 2025
Developer ACE Power and Osaka Gas Energy Australia have submitted plans for a 100MW solar-plus-storage project to Australia’s EPBC Act.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 21, 2025
New York, USA
Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK