Renewable energy provider Atlas Renewable Energy has inaugurated its BESS del Desierto battery energy storage system (BESS), located in Chile’s Antofagasta region.
The project, which was developed in partnership with COPEC, through its energy trading arm EMOAC, is one of the largest energy storage systems in Latin America.
It boasts an installed capacity of 200 MW and a storage capacity of 800 MW, and once fully operational will use battery technology to store excess solar energy generated during the day, redistributing it to the grid during peak consumption hours.
‘Lead the transformation’
“Looking ahead, you do not have to choose between sustainability and reliability,” commented Carlos Barrera, co-founder and CEO of Atlas Renewable Energy. “As BESS del Desierto proves, we can have both. And Latin America, with its abundance of resources, with its youth, with its ingenuity, is in a position to lead this transformation globally.”
Atlas Renewable Energy has been operating across Latin America since 2017, and this latest project adds to its growing portfolio of hybrid and solar storage solutions, with further developments planned in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.
Earlier this year, the firm secured a $510 million financing deal for its Estepa hybrid project, supported by two long-term power purchase agreements signed with Codelco and Colbun.
‘Multiple megaprojects’
“BESS del Desierto is undoubtedly a milestone for Atlas, Chile, and for all of Latin America, but it is not unique in Atlas’ portfolio,” added Alfredo Solar, regional manager of Chile and the Southern Cone for Atlas Renewable Energy. “We have multiple megaprojects in various stages of development, all of them using energy storage systems. This demonstrates the leadership Atlas has cultivated in this space, and we are very proud to see the fruits of our efforts with BESS del Desierto.”
In total, Atlas Renewable Energy has an asset base of more than 8.4 GW, of which 2.5 GW are in ‘advanced development stages’, and ready to be contracted, while about 3.6 GW are operational. Read more here.
