First Major Solar Farm For South America Announced

In South America, a continent rich in abundant natural resources yet beset by civil and economic woes, renewable energy has the potential to help lift industrial capacity and provide much need employment.

Solar energy development company, Solarpack, and Codelco (Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile) have teamed up to build the first utility scale solar farm in South America.

The project involves the construction and operation of a photovoltaic plant of 1 MW of installed capacity (equivalent to the consumption of 5,000 households), which will supply electricity to Chuquicamata copper mine in northern Chile.

Solar pack says it will be the first solar panel-based installation in the world that is built without any subsidies to support it. This is a testament to the success of global solar energy uptake and its subsequent reduction in price. Codelco will purchase electricity generated by the solar plant.

The plant will occupy an area of 6.25 hectares. The 4080 solar modules will be mounted on a high precision solar tracking system to follow the path of the sun and increase electricity production.

First Major Solar Farm For South America Announced : Renewable Energy News :