Wedoany.com Report-May 23, Engie Chile, the Chilean branch of French energy company Engie, has officially commenced construction of the Libélula solar-plus-storage project, situated approximately 40 kilometers north of Santiago. Located across the municipalities of Colina and Tiltil, this development is the company’s first project in the capital’s Metropolitan Region and is expected to enter commercial operation before September 2026.

A PV plant operated by Engie in Chile

The Libélula project will integrate a 151 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system with a 199 MW/995 MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS). The infrastructure includes a booster substation and a 16-kilometer high-voltage transmission line, designed to connect the facility to the El Manzano substation on Chile’s National Electric System. The project represents an investment of more than $310 million.

This marks the first time Engie Chile is constructing a solar-plus-storage project from the ground up. The energy storage system will consist of 208 lithium-ion battery containers, supporting reliable energy dispatch and enhancing grid flexibility.

The solar plant will deploy 245,560 solar panels combined with 2,311 low-carbon NX Horizon solar trackers. These trackers are manufactured in the United States using electric arc furnace technology. According to Nextracker, the supplier, this technology results in steel components that generate approximately 30% fewer carbon emissions than traditional steel products. This installation would make Libélula the first large-scale PV project in Latin America to use decarbonized steel of this kind.

Engie Chile is targeting 3.5 GW of installed energy capacity by 2027. Over 60% of this goal is expected to come from renewable energy sources and battery storage systems, demonstrating the company’s commitment to clean energy expansion in the region.

The project cleared a significant regulatory hurdle in October 2023, when the Chilean Environmental Assessment Commission approved the environmental impact study submitted by the developer. This approval affirms the project’s compliance with environmental standards and allows full-scale construction to proceed.

With the Libélula project, Engie Chile aims to support Chile’s broader energy transition by contributing to the diversification and decarbonization of the national power grid. The integration of large-scale energy storage also addresses the intermittency challenges associated with solar energy, improving grid stability and reliability.

This development reinforces the increasing role of hybrid renewable energy projects in Latin America and highlights the growing trend of combining solar generation with advanced energy storage to meet rising electricity demand while reducing carbon emissions.