How much solar energy does Chile need?

Chile’s DNI is 3,800 kWh/m2 in the Atacama desert, the world’s highest solar resource for CSP projects. The region is not subject to sandstorms. Variable renewables, PV and wind, increasingly supply the grid, and to complement these renewables, flexible dispatchable generation, such as is provided by CSP with thermal energy storage, is needed.

Could Chilean manufacturing benefit from CSP?

A study assessing the benefits to Chilean manufacturing estimated that Chilean industries could supply between 18% and 56% of the parts needed for CSP overall and could supply most of the thermal energy storage between building the tanks and providing the molten salts.

When will Cerro Dominador solar thermal plant open?

Construction of the photovoltaic plant commenced in January 2015 and the plant began operating in June 2016 with 160 MW of panels, the largest solar plant in Chile at the time. By the end of 2020 the project was fully erected under the name Cerro Dominador Solar Thermal Plant and is expected to fully operate in 2021.

Is Cerro Dominador a CSP project?

Several CSP projects are under development in Chile, but in the absence of technology specific support policies Cerro Dominador is the only one under construction, yet. In June 2014, the 100- megawatt (MW) Amanecer Solar CAP, a photovoltaic power plant located near Copiapó in the Atacama Desert was inaugurated.

Could a hybrid CSP-PV project offer a competitive advantage in Chile?

Fraunhofer has published (pdf) data on the value and competitiveness of grid services that hybrid CSP-PV projects could offer in Chile. Chile is the world’s largest producer of sodium and potassium nitrates, the molten salts used in tower CSP.