Enel Green Power has launched a pilot plant for the production of green hydrogen in Chile. The project is Chile’s first industrial-scale production plant of green hydrogen. The plant is located at Cabo Negro north of Punta Arenas and has a capacity of 1.25 MW. It will produce green hydrogen through electrolysis powered by a 3.4 MW wind turbine. The plant is likely to be operational by 2022.
Chile possesses substantial amount of clean energy resources for power generation. The Atacama Desert provides very high insolation levels, making it suitable for photovoltaic energy. The southern region witnessing strong winds which can be harnessed to produce wind power. Furthermore, in several parts of the country watercourses offer good conditions for hydroelectric power. The government of Chile has also pushed rapid investment in renewable energy, with a target of closing all coal-fired power stations by 2040.
Enel Green Power has been actively engaged in Chile’s energy transition. Their portfolio of active plants in Chile includes 7.2 GW of installed capacity, with 1.3 GW under construction. The company also built South America’s first geothermal power plant in Chile, carried out experiments in the field of wave energy and, powered a large astronomical observatory with clean energy.
