wiredinUSA July 2014

President Michelle Bachelet of Chile has inaugurated the Amanecer Solar CAP plant in Copiapo, the largest photovoltaic solar power plant in Latin America and among the largest in the world. The project was developed, built and interconnected by SunEdison Inc under an offtake agreement with CAP Group, the largest iron ore and pellet producer on the American Pacific coast, and the largest steel producer in Chile. The Amanecer Solar CAP plant has 100MW of total installed capacity, equivalent to 10 percent of the renewable energy generation capacity goal established by the Chilean government for 2014. The project involves an investment of $250 million and is important for the future development of renewable energy in Chile and Latin America. Located 37km from Copiapo in the Atacama Desert, the 250-acre plant has over 310,000 photovoltaic modules and was built in only six months. It is estimated that in its first year of operation the plant will inject 270GWh of clean energy into the central interconnected system. Jose Perez, president of SunEdison for Europe, Africa and Latin America, said: “This plant demonstrates that photovoltaic solar energy is an ideal way of diversifying the energy matrix in Chile, reducing costs and contributing towards meeting the demand for clean and sustainable energy. SunEdison has now interconnected 150MW in the Atacama Desert – the 100MW Amanecer Solar CAP plant plus a 50 MW power plant in San Andres.” Solar goes online for Chile

wiredInUSA - July 2014

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