Acciona develops its Malgarida photovoltaic complex in Chile, a 238 MW facility that gives rise to a circular economy project.
The company reinforces its leading position in Chile as the country’s main exclusive operator ofrenewable energies.
Acciona expands its photovoltaic complex in Chile
The Malgarida photovoltaic complex will comprise 580,000 modules deployed over an area of 535 hectares.
The facility will be located in Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the regions with the highest radiation levels in the world.
Although still under construction, the project is already supplying electricity to the grid.
Its development requires an investment of $170 million (144 million euros).
With an annual output of 654 GWh, Malgarida I and Malgarida II will supply 280,000 households with clean, renewable electricity.
In other words, the project will reduce CO2 emissions by 512,000 tonnes per year.
A circular economy project
The development of Malgarida has given rise to an innovative circular economy project in the municipality of Diego de Almagro.
The project partners are local authorities, social representatives and academic institutions.
The project involves recycling the 25,000 wooden pallets used to transport the 580,000 photovoltaic modules.
Acciona is therefore collaborating with the University of Chile’s Faculty of Architecture to bring the project to fruition.
The pallets will be used to build furniture, such as tables and shelves.
But they will also be used to build vertical gardens and hydroponic cultivation facilities.
Recycling pallets limits the amount of waste produced by the complex’s installation.
It also contributes to local economic and social development in Diego de Almagro.
Acciona confirms its leading position in Chile
Acciona diversifies its customer portfolio – Movistar Chile, Google, LATAM Airlines Group, etc. – and signs local contracts with Chilean distributors and cooperatives.
– and signing local contracts with Chilean distributors and cooperatives.
At the same time, the company is expanding its energy portfolio.
It owns three wind farms with a total capacity of 312 MW, as well as five photovoltaic installations.
The first of these have capacities of 246 MW, 64 MW and 62 MW.
The Malgarida complex, with the Malgarida I and Malgarida II facilities, has a capacity of 238 MW.
Finally, Acciona’s Chilean renewable assets total 922 MW in capacity, making the company the country’s leading exclusive operator of renewable energies.
