ABB and Solek Group, a Czech developer of photovoltaic power plants, have completed two projects in Chile. One of them has already been sold to a North American investment fund.
Solek Group took charge of the construction works, while ABB supplied the technology. The contract for the delivery of ABB string inverters for two new photovoltaic power plants in Amparo and Santa Laura, with a total output of 6 MWp, was signed last year.
Commenting on the partnership with ABB, Zdeněk Sobotka, CEO, Solek Group, said: “We appreciated not only the high quality of the delivered technology, but also ABB’s strong business presence in Chile,”
The Amparo power plant has been sold to the American fund AROYO, a major investor specializing in renewables. The Santa Laura power plant has successfully been connected to the grid, while negotiations of its sale are well under way. Solek Group has already built three fully functional photovoltaic power plants in Chile.
“We are proud to be part of this major solar energy investment in Chile, together with Solek Group. The changeover to renewable energy sources in the electricity grid is ongoing and sustainable power supply is crucial for the future. Advanced technology and digital solutions will play an important role in the energy transition,” added Tanja Vainio, Country Manager, ABB Czech Republic and Slovakia.
ABB delivered inverters, monitoring system and a weather station
ABB has been responsible for the technological aspects of the project, delivering a power monitoring system and a weather station with remote access for online monitoring. The main product for the photovoltaic plants was the TRIO-50 50kWac string solar inverter with the output of 400Vac.
The converter has a modular design, consisting of configurable DC and AC switchgear and a power module. The power module is cooled via four independent fans and a wind tunnel, which allows the converter to be positioned vertically or horizontally. TRIO-50 is a two-stage converter that offers the benefits of a wide range of input voltage.
Chile goes in the direction of renewable energy
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 percent by 2035.
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing more than a 130-year history of innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization with two clear value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automating industries from natural resources to finished products. As title partner in ABB Formula E, the fully electric international FIA motorsport class, ABB is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 147,000 employees. www.abb.com
Solek Group
Since its foundation in 2010, Solek Group has built, acquired and developed dozens of projects in the field of photovoltaic power plants with the total installed capacity over 30 MW in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Chile and is going to build more power plants with the capacity of up to 250 MW. Solek has extensive experience with the planning, construction, operation and asset management, as well as the refinancing of photovoltaic power plants projects.
