Spanish developer and independent power producer (IPP) Zelestra has energised its 1GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
Announced 11 May, the BESS is part of Zelestra’s Aurora hybrid project, which pairs 1GWh of energy storage with 220MW of solar PV generation.
In March 2025, as reported by our colleagues at PV Tech, Zelestra signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with gas provider Abastible for the Aurora project.
In May 2025, Zelestra ordered 1GWh of BESS technology and power conversion system (PCS) equipment from China-based OEM Sungrow. Sungrow provided its PowerTitan 2.0 BESS for the project, and its 1+X modular inverter for the solar PV array.
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PowerTitan 2.0 integrates a 5MWh battery with a 2.5MW PCS into a 20-foot container. In June 2025, the company launched its PowerTitan 3.0 system, and claimed the newer 30-foot product as the world’s largest BESS in both capacity and energy density.
Shortly after placing the order with Sungrow, in June 2025, Zelestra reached financial close for the Aurora project. It secured US$282 million in financing from financial entities Natixis CIB and BNP Paribas, with a VAT facility granted by BCI.
Zelestra’s in-house engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) team worked on the project and the company claims it will complete final commissioning steps, moving into full commercial operation in the coming weeks.
Chile has been an active area for BESS development. In just the last month, Danish investment firm Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) began construction on its 300MW/1,500MWh Patache BESS in northern Chile.
Spanish IPP Sonnedix signed three PPAs for its 117MW/643.8MWh Sonnedix Librillo BESS project with Copec EMOAC, the Chilean, renewables-focused subsidiary of mining and forestry group COPEC.
Most recently, IPP Innergex and system integrator Prevalon Energy energised the 42MW/210MWh San Andrés II BESS project, also located in the Atacama region of the country.
