Developed,
built and operated by Spanish group Solarpack, the Granja PV plant
is located in Chile's Atacama Desert and began feeding electricity into the
country’s National Grid on March 2, 2020. World leading solar technology
company LONGi, as the sole module supplier, provided 123MW of its
monocrystalline PERC modules for the project.
Founded
in 2005, Solarpack was one of the first pure solar PV developers and
independent power producers in Spain, and has become a multinational organization
specialized in the development, financing, construction and operation and
management of utility scale solar PV power plants, with a presence in
fast-growing markets in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa.
The
123MW Granja PV plant represented an investment of over US$ 110 million and was
financed by the KfW IPEX-Bank through a
long-term project finance loan of up to US$ 91 million. The bank is a
specialist financier for the German and European economies in the fields of
export and project finance. According to Solarpack, Granja will sell its electricity
from 2021 until 2040 through long-term sales contracts (PPAs) signed with 25
regional distribution companies, with the remaining energy produced sold on the
spot market.
The project
was connected to the grid 10 months in advance of the commencement date of the
PPAs, and will make a significant contribution to the reduction in the price
of energy to Chilean households.
The
combination of LONGi’s high-efficiency modules, based on leading technology,
and the company’s strong bankability are always key factors in the decision-making
of financial institutions worldwide. LONGi recently achieved the highest
Altman-Z score from BloombergNEF’s Global PV Outlook, and was also given the highest
AAA rating by the authoritative technical media organisation PV Tech. Numerous
top rankings in the solar industry and a strong operating performance in 2019 have
underlined LONGi’s worldwide bankability.
Pablo
Burgos, Solarpack’s CEO, commented: “This
is a very important milestone for Solarpack which contributes to the
development of the solar PV sector in Chile. We are delighted to deploy LONGi
high efficiency monocrystalline PERC modules at the Granja PV plant. It will generate
more than 340 GWh of clean electricity every year, contributing to the
decarbonization of Chile's energy matrix.”
Yang
Wenbo, LONGi’s EMEA Sales Director, added: “We are very pleased to partner with Solarpack for deploying LONGi's
state-of-the-art solar modules in the Granja Park. We always aim to offer the
most competitive products and renewable energy solutions for our global clients
and partners, to achieve our commitment to deliver sustainable clean energy to
the world.”