chile

Chilean utility Colbún has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with French energy giant Total and SunPower for the energy produced from a 164MW solar PV plant in Chile.

PV industry leader JinkoSolar announced that it has supplied 122MW worth of modules to Pattern Energy for its Conejo solar plant in Chile. Pattern Energy, a US-based independent power producer, will also become the owner of the project.

Total and its affiliate SunPower have agreed to supply electricity from a 100MWac solar PV project to the Metro of Santiago in Chile.

Chile’s Ministry of Energy has formed a new committee for renewable energy to promote the consumption of clean energy.

Chilean utility Colbun is to purchase two of SunEdison’s solar PV projects in development in Chile along with their long-term power supply contracts.

Chile’s energy regulator CNE has delayed its power auction to 25 July this year, in a move that should benefit renewable energy companies looking for certainty over transmission rules.

Chile’s National Center for Innovation and Development of Sustainable Energy (CIEDs) has launched a solar calculator to help consumers estimate potential cost savings from installing a solar PV system or solar thermal unit.

Chile's cumulative installed PV capacity reached 1,056MW at the end of February this year, up 43MW from the previous month, according to the latest figures from Chilean renewable energy research institute (CIFES).

Chile’s Environmental Evaluation Service (SEA) has given environmental approval to a 600MW solar PV project named Cielos de Tarapacá, which requires US$1 billion in investment, project Valhalla has confirmed.

The major connection between Chile’s Northernmost and Central grids, which will provide a larger market for the high concentration of solar PV in the country’s north, is expected to be complete by mid-2017, according to a leading industry figure.