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Currently in the initial construction phase, this will be the companys first energy project in the Metropolitan Region. The plant will occupy approximately 265 hectares and involves an investment of over $310 million. Engie Chile has announced the start of the construction phase of the Libélula photovoltaic and BESS park, which will have 151 MWp and 199 MW of energy storage, with commercial operation expected in the third quarter of 2026. This is the companys first project in the Metropolitan Region, located in the municipalities of Colina and Tiltil, 40 kilometers north of Santiago. According to Engie, the estimated investment in the project exceeds $310 million and includes the construction of a booster substation and a 16-kilometer high-voltage transmission line, which will connect to the El Manzano substation to inject the generated energy directly into the National Electric System. In addition to being Engie Chiles first hybrid initiative in the Metropolitan region, PV & BESS Libélula represents the first that the company has built from scratch with integration of solar generation and energy storage, a BESS system composed of 208 lithium-ion battery containers with a discharge capacity of 5 hours. The project is part of the energy companys goal of reaching 3.5 GW of installed capacity by 2027, with more than 60% coming from renewable sources and battery storage. According to reports, one of the main technological innovations of the project, which will feature 245,560 solar panels, lies in the incorporation of 2,311 low-carbon NX Horizon solar trackers, manufactured in the United States using electric arc furnace (EAF) technology. This solution, developed by Nextracker, is claimed to reduce carbon emissions associated with solar trackers by approximately 30% compared to conventional methods. The point is that the use of decarbonized steel marks a regional milestone, as Libélula will become the first large-scale photovoltaic park in Latin America to implement this technology. In this regard, it is stated that the collaboration between Engie and Nextracker on the Dragonfly project sets a new standard for energy infrastructure in the region, by integrating solutions that reduce the carbon footprint of the solar supply chain and enable more efficient management of the energy generated. The Libélula photovoltaic project received environmental approval from the Environmental Assessment Commission (CEA) for the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) submitted by the company in October 2023. |
