Pattern Energy Chooses JinkoSolar Modules For 122 MW Project In Chile

Originally published on CleanTechies.

California-based solar project developer Pattern Energy has reported progress on a large-scale solar PV project in Chile.

JinkoSolar reported that it has been selected to supply solar modules for the 122 MW Conejo solar project in Chile, which is being developed by Pattern Energy. Located in the municipality of Taltal, in the Antofagasta region of northern Chile, the Conejo project is one of the largest solar power projects in Chile.

The project has signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with Minera Los Pelambres, an affiliate of Antofagasta Minerals, and will be connected to the Sistema Interconectado Central transmission system. The project is expected to be operational by the second half of this year. Construction on the project began last year after Pattern Energy secured debt funding worth $205 million.

Chile currently has an operational solar capacity of over 1 GW, with several large-scale solar projects expected to be commissioned over the next few years. Recently, a subsidiary of Enel Green Power commissioned Latin America’s largest solar power project with 160 MW of capacity.

SunPower announced plans to set up 1 GW worth of solar capacity in the country over the next 5 years. EDF Energies Nouvelles and Marubeni announced that they would jointly develop a 146 solar PV project in the country, which is expected to be one of the largest merchant solar plants in the world. SolarReserve also has aggressive plans to set up large-scale hybrid solar power projects.

Reprinted with permission.