Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 28, 2026

Copiapó Solar Project

The Copiapó Solar Project is a 390 megawatt (MW) net solar thermal power project to be located near Copiapó, about 65 kilometers east of the coastal town of Caldera. The project is being developed by SolarReserve, and is scheduled to reach commercial operation in 2019.

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Copiapó Solar Project
Map
Official nameProyecto Copiapó Solar
CountryChile
LocationCopiapó, Atacama Region
Coordinates27°21′S 70°19′W / 27.350°S 70.317°W / -27.350; -70.317
StatusProposed
Commission date2019 (planned)
Construction cost$2 billion
OwnerCopiapó Energía Solar SpA
Solar farm
TypeCSP
CSP technologySolar power tower
Power generation
Units planned2 x 120 MW, 1 x 150 MW (PV)
Nameplate capacity390 MW
Capacity factor49.8% (planned)
Annual net output1,700 GW·h (planned)
Storage capacity3,360 MW·he
External links
Websitewww.solarreserve.com

Priced at ¢6.3/kWh ($63/MWh)1

The Copiapó Solar Project is a 390 megawatt (MW) net solar thermal power project to be located near Copiapó, about 65 kilometers east of the coastal town of Caldera.2 The project is being developed by SolarReserve,3 and is scheduled to reach commercial operation in 2019.

The Copiapó project will comprise two 120 megawatt (MW), 130 MW gross) solar thermal towers with up to 14 hours thermal storage, combined with 150 MW of PV.4 The hybrid project will deliver over 1,700 gigawatt-hours (GW·h) annually, as non-intermittent baseload power, 24 hours a day. The project uses heliostat mirrors that collect and focus the sun's thermal energy to heat molten salt flowing through a solar power tower. The molten salt circulates from the tower to a storage tank, where it is then used to produce steam and generate electricity. Excess thermal energy is stored in the molten salt and can be used to generate power for up to fourteen hours, including during the evening and when direct sunlight is not available. The project's solar tower component technology is based on the SolarReserve Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project in the US.

The project is expected to cost $2 billion.5

The Copiapó Solar project was submitted to a full environmental assessment under the Chilean system of Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) administered by the Department of Environmental Assessment (SEA), and received an Environmental Qualification Resolution (RCA), as it is called the Chilean environmental permit, on August 19, 2015.6

The hybrid concept combines two or more energy conversion mechanisms, that when integrated, overcome limitations inherent in either. The purpose is to provide a high level of energy security and reliability through the integrated mix of complementary generation methods.78 Specifically, photovoltaics, to date, has a lower cost if one ignores the dispatchability question, that instead is solved by the solar thermal component.

At the 2017-01 auction, SolarReserve bid $63/MWh for 24-hour CSP power with no subsidies, competing with other types such as LNG gas turbines.1 And in the following auction they bid less than 5 ¢/kWh.9

A photovoltaic project with the same name was planned in 2025. The numbers are 357 MW with a 320 MW / 1.28 GWh battery, delivering 750 GWh per year from 2026 for 15 years to mining company CAP Group, funded by $475 million.10

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Kraemer, Susan (13 March 2017). "SolarReserve Bids 24-Hour Solar At 6.3 Cents In Chile". CleanTechnica. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  2. "Solarreserve Obtiene Aprobación Ambiental para Construir una Central de Concentración Solar de 260 MW" (Press release). PR Newswire Association LLC. August 20, 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  3. "SolarReserve Receives Environmental Approval for 260 Megawatt Baseload Solar Plant in Chile" (PDF). SolarReserve, LLC. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  4. "Copiapó, Atacama Region, Chile". SolarReserve, LLC. Archived from the original on 12 August 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  5. "Chile approves 260 MW solar power plant". Power Engineering International. August 24, 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  6. "Tabla Sesión Ordinaria N° 12/2015 Comisión de Evaluación de Atacama". Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  7. "CSP & PV Hybrid Plants Gain Sway In Chile". CleanTechnica, Sustainable Enterprises Media, Inc. April 2, 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  8. "Chile: a sun mine about to be exploited". CSP Today, FC Business Intelligence Limited. October 10, 2014. Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  9. SolarReserve Bids CSP Under 5 Cents in Chilean Auction, Soalr Paces October 29, 2017 "SolarReserve Bids CSP Under 5 Cents in Chilean Auction".
  10. "Atlas finances Chilean hybrid site with 320 MW storage". Energy Storage. 21 October 2025.
External links