AES Gener to invest in 1.6 GW renewable energy projects in Chile and Colombia

Chilean electric energy producer AES Gener has announced the investment of US$1.8 billion in photovoltaic and wind energy projects of 1,600 MW in Chile and Colombia.

The company states that within the framework of the so-called launch of the new strategy Greentegra carried out in May 2018, the company has signed renewable contracts for 8,100 GWh a year in Chile and Colombia, and by the end of 2023, the company will add 2,100 MW of wind, solar and hydro capacity to its portfolio. 

It ensures that since the launch of Greentegra, in 2019 AES Gener incorporated 131 MW of non-conventional renewable energy into its portfolio and currently has a total of 799 MW under construction. 

In 2019 the construction of two wind projects began in the Bío Bío region. One is the Los Olmos park, in the vicinity of the 110 MW town of Mulchén, and the other is the Mesamávida park, in the 68 MW Los Angeles district, both of which will provide the National Electric System (SEN). 

It also has the 80 MW Andes Solar II photovoltaic park under construction, which will join Andes Solar I, which started operations in 2016.

AES Gener also claims to be developing in the energy storage sector. While it already has 52 MW in operation in the north of the country, works are underway on the Virtual Reservoir project, which consists of the installation of a battery system for energy storage in hydroelectric power plants. Virtual Reservoir will add 10 MW of power to Alfalfal I's capacity of 178 MW (in San José de Maipo) through the use of batteries that will allow storing and then injecting energy for five hours.