ABB String Inverters Selected For New Chilean Photovoltaic Projects

ABB, a pioneer and leader in the development of innovative solar power conversion technology has signed a contract to provide ABB string inverters for two new photovoltaic power plants delivered by the Solek Group in Chile, with a total output of 6MW.

The projects, which are approximately 2x 3.5 MWp each, will be equipped with TRIO-50.0-TL-OUTD three-phase string inverters. The delivery of the technology should be complete by October 2017.

“We firmly believe that solar technology should be a leading sustainable energy source for distributed power generation and building applications, driving growth in mature and developing economies,” commented Tanja Vainio, Country Manager, ABB Czech Republic. “We are therefore committed to continual investment in this sector, leveraging the strong digital capabilities from across our business, as part of ABB Ability, to develop market leading PV solutions and product platforms.”

“The current investment into photovoltaic plants in Chile brings new opportunities to the Czech Republic and we are proud to announce that the Solek Group, the supplier of both projects, will begin using ABB string inverter technology to power PV progress in Chile.”

The Solek Group’s pilot project – the Cuz Cuz power plant near Illapel, with a total installed capacity of 3.07MW – started to deliver power into the Chilean grid at the end of last year.

“We constantly look at new technologies in our field and always seek to get the best for our projects. ABB string inverters have proved ideal for our current projects in Chile. Moreover, ABB is a solid partner for us and that is why our two new projects, Amaparo del Sol and Santa Laura (formerly referred to as La Frotuna), will use these products,” said Zdeněk Sobotka, CEO, Solek Group.

Thanks to a high average solar irradiance, the sun is a very attractive source of renewable energy in Chile. Photovoltaic power plants have recently become one of the main areas of investment within the power industry in this country. This trend will continue in the years to come as the ENERGIA 2050, a Chilean government program, sets the goal of increasing the share of power from renewable resources by up to 60% by 2035.

Both the Amaparo del Sol and Santa Laura projects will use single-axis trackers to achieve higher output, with their business model based on the market prices of electric power, not on feed-in tarifs. Given the optimum natural conditions, high solar irradiance, stable economy and growing demand for electricity in Chile, the project is globally one of the best investments within the field of photovoltaic power.