IPP Grenergy and electric vehicle (EV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) firm BYD have extended a supply agreement for the Oasis de Atacama project in Chile, which they claim will have the world’s largest BESS, to 3GWh.
The agreement now covers the third phase of the 1GW solar, 4.1GWh storage project in the Atacama desert, northern Chile, after the companies initially agreed 1.1GWh of BESS equipment for phase one back in January.
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As part of the collaboration BYD will provide its MC Cube BESS for Grenergy’s separate Victor Jara solar and storage project, also in Chile. It didn’t say whether the MC Cube, which uses its proprietary form factor ‘blade’ battery, would be used for the Oasis de Atacama project.
It said the overall agreement with Grenergy comprises 537 BESS containers. If those add up to the 3GWh capacity, that would mean a little over 5MWh capacity each.
Oasis de Atacama has 75% of its energy contracted through power purchase agreements (PPAs) and its first phase should be completed by the end of 2024, with other phases completed by 2025.
Chile is a hotbed of grid-scale energy storage project development and construction as investors and IPPs capitalise on huge opportunities in the country’s volatile energy market as well as capacity market opportunities that were recently finalised by the regulator, often done via PPAs between operators and utilities.
IPP Atlas Renewables, which is deploying large-scale BESS in Chile, discussed how these PPAs tend to work in a recent interview (Premium access).
Recent project news covered by Energy-Storage.news includes a wind-solar-BESS hybrid from AES approved, while projects from Oenergy and Colbun were kicked back at the environmental review stage.
