The plant, property of EIG Global Energy Partners, which will be the first solar thermal tower project in Latin America, faces its final stretch
Image: The Project team celebrates the assembly of the heliostat. Photo: Courtesy of Abengoa.
Abengoa, the international company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainability in the infrastructure, energy and water sectors, and Acciona have celebrated this week the manufacturing and assembly of the last of the heliostats that form the solar field of Cerro Dominador: the first solar thermal tower project in Latin America, owned by funds managed by EIG Global Energy Partners. The construction is being carried out by a consortium formed by Abengoa and Acciona. The 700-hectare solar field has 10,600 heliostats that will direct solar radiation to a receiver located 252 meters high.
The 110 MW project, located in the Atacama Desert in Chile, is reaching the final stretch of construction with 85% completion to date.
The solar thermal tower plant will join the 100 MW photovoltaic plant already in operation since February 2018, also built by Abengoa, to form a renewable energy complex with a total capacity of 210 MW and the first one that combines both technologies across the continent.
This project will generate dispatchable clean energy for 24 hours and will have a thermal storage capacity in molten salts of 17.5 hours.
Abengoa is present in Chile since 1987, a country in which it has developed numerous projects for important mining, electrical and communications companies and the industrial sector in general. This project consolidates Abengoa’s presence in the country, as well as its commitment to the engineering, supply and construction of projects for third parties in the infrastructure, energy and water sectors.