During 2023, electricity generation in the Ñuble Region increased by 20.3% compared to the previous year, according to INE statistics, data that reveals the accelerated growth of installed generation capacity in the region, mainly from solar fountain.
Currently, the region has a total of 39 generating plants in operation, with an installed capacity of 254 MW; of which 82.8% correspond to renewable energies (solar, hydraulic and biomass) and 7.2% to diesel backup plants.
In detail, there are 30 photovoltaic parks, two mini hydroelectric plants, three biomass plants and four diesel plants.
The above is a logical consequence of the boom in solar parks that the region has experienced, first, hand in hand with incentives for Small Distributed Generation Facilities, which explains why most of the current parks are smaller in size (3MW ); and today, with larger projects, which are committed to the decarbonization of the Chilean energy matrix.
Dennis Rivas Oviedo, Seremi of Energy in Ñuble, stated that, “one of the commitments of the Government of President Gabriel Boric is to move towards carbon neutrality, a race that we have already begun to run and that, from Ñuble, we have been supporting, through different tools that allow supporting the development of renewable energy generation systems, such as the “Put Energy in Your PyME” program, as well as seeking to strengthen the appropriate use of energy that, historically, is used in the area, such as dry firewood, in order to ensure that the firewood sold meets the standards that ensure a quality, safe product with the lowest possible environmental impact.”
Generation projects
In terms of generation projects, the outlook looks auspicious for Ñuble, since, to the 30 photovoltaic parks in operation – which add up to 132.9 MW of gross power, which is equivalent to 51% of the regional installed capacity – they must add another four under construction (Pellín, Ciprés, Peumo and Guindo Santo), with 9 MW of power each, which are expected to begin operating during this year. In addition, there are more than a dozen projects approved or in environmental evaluation, which are characterized by being larger and, three of them (FV Aldea, FV Ñuble and Sol del Sur), incorporated energy storage centers in their designs, allowing you to shift your generation curves by providing energy to the electrical system even at times when the solar resource is not present, that is, at night.
On the other hand, although the region does not have any wind farms until now, that will change in the coming years.mos years, since two projects have already obtained their environmental approval (Entre Cerros and Dañicalqui), there are another four in environmental evaluation (Culenco, Pemuco, San Carlos and Los Coihues) and another two in the pipeline (Andino Switzerland and Andino Melcahue), it is That is, eight in total, which not only represent a larger size and greater generating power than the photovoltaic parks that are planned in the region, but also involve much larger investments. Precisely, last January the environmental impact study (EIA) of the Los Coihues Wind Farm, in El Carmen, was submitted to the Environmental Evaluation Service (SEA) of the Ñuble region, which will be the largest generator in Ñuble, with a power of 338 .4 MW, much more than all the current installed power in the region, and which will represent an investment of US$470 million, higher than the Nueva La Punilla reservoir (US$369 million).
The sum of the eight wind projects that exist in the region to date will represent a joint investment of approximately US$1,710 million, which should be completed in the coming years.
This investment boom in the region responds, according to market players, to the advantages that the region offers compared to other regions where these projects already have a long way to go and where the value of the land is higher.
Roberto Muñoz, general manager of Andes Solar, a company that plans to build two wind farms in Ñuble, highlighted that “the region offers diversehe advantages for the development of these wind farms. It has winds that are consistent and strong, which is essential for efficient wind energy generation; Also, geographically, the region has large areas available for the installation of wind farms, such as esplanades that allow towers and wind turbines to be installed at an adequate distance so that they do not interfere with each other; On the other hand, the region has a good availability of labor force, which is an element that is considered when evaluating the investment.”
However, companies are already taking note of the debate around the environmental impacts of wind and photovoltaic parks in other areas of the country, as well as the use of agricultural land for their location, which in the case of solar panels It effectively constitutes competition with agricultural activity.
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