US-based renewable energy company SunEdison has secured a contract to supply photovoltaic modules for a 100MW project in the Atacama Desert of Chile.

The proposed project is owned by Chilean mining and steel group, CAP.

CAP group president Jaime Charles stated, "This agreement serves to reaffirm CAP’s commitment to innovation and sustainable development in Chile, by using state-of-the-art technology to meet the renewable energy goals set by the Chilean Government."

The solar facility will employ 300,000 Silvantis monocrystalline silicon modules to produce 270GWh of clean energy meeting 15% of the group’s energy requirements.

SunEdison will also design the solar trackers to be installed at the plant with its subsidiary, SunEdison Renewable Operations Center (ROC), to handle operations on completion of the project.

SunEdison EMEA, Latin America and North Asia general manager Pancho Pérez said that the company’s solution to CAP was designed to cut energy costs.

"This initiative furthers our leadership position as a solar power producer in Chile and across the rest of Latin America," Pérez added.

First phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.