AES Chile puts into operation Los Olmos wind farm

• The launch of the initiative "is another step in our renewable transformation that began in 2018 with Greentegra," said AES Chile's CEO, Ricardo Falú.

AES Chile put into operation Los Olmos, its first self-built wind farm in the country, that will increase the renewable energy potential in Chile and it will provide clean energy, mainly for Google.

This is a milestone that marks the consolidation of the Greentegra transformational strategy which, along with accelerating the future of energy, seeks to contribute with concrete actions  the fight against the effects of climate change, through the development of renewable solutions to accompany clients on a more sustainable path of growth.

The initiative located in Mulchén, Biobío Region, has an installed capacity of 110 MW, through 23 wind turbines of 4.8 MW of individual power. Its commercial operation began on January 19, 2022.

The initiative is part of a historic contract signed in 2019 between both companies, in order to supply the expansion of Google's first data center in Latin America, located in  Quilicura, Santiago.

One of the differentiating elements in the execution of this project is that it is part of a pioneering hybrid technology agreement that the technology company signed worldwide by incorporating wind and solar energy. The last one  comes from Andes Solar IIa, a solar park that AES Andes inaugurated in 2021 in the Antofagasta Region with an installed capacity of 81 MW.

AES Chile CEO, Ricardo Falú, highlighted that “the start-up of Los Olmos demonstrates the commitment of AES Andes with the country. With this milestone, we are not only contributing to transform the national energy matrix towards more sustainable solutions in order to combat climate change, but we also reaffirm our commitment with the local development to provide more employment opportunities that allow people to have  a better quality of life.”

The executive added that “we are very proud of the trust that Google has had in us by allowing us to accompany them with the delivery of innovative and competitive solutions for their energy needs and thus contribute to their sustainability goals. I also want to thank everyone who collaborated to make a project of this magnitude a reality today”. 

“As more people and companies embrace digitalization, we need local partners like AES Chile that help us on our path to reach our moonshot goal to operate on carbon-free energy everywhere, at all times, by 2030.” said Sandra Guazzotti, Head of Multi-Country for Google Cloud in Latin America. “We’re thrilled to continue on this path with the help of AES Chile.  By operating the cleanest cloud in the industry, Google Cloud makes sure companies’ digital footprint doesn’t leave an environmental one”, she added.

Contribution to employment and the community

During its works, Los Olmos reached a peak of more than 530 collaborators, which adds to the contribution in the economic reactivation of the area, since initiatives of this type generate a positive impact in the contracting of different local services .

Both in its construction phase and subsequent operation, Los Olmos committed to a series of projects with the community, aimed to improve the lives of its inhabitants. Infrastructure improvements and other initiatives such as Ilumina Biobío stand out, which in its first stage benefited about 90 students and teachers with the delivery of tablets, internet and training, with the goal to reduce the digital gap in rural sectors, especially during the pandemic.

Other renewable initiatives

The company also continues to advance in other renewable initiatives in the country. In the Biobío Region, work continues on the Mesamávida and Campo Lindo wind farms, which will complete their construction this year, to incorporate a total of  141 MW. 

Meanwhile, in the north of Chile, Andes Solar IIb - the solar plant with the largest battery storage system in Latin America - continues to advance to finish its works in the second half of 2022.

The next incorporation of the projects in construction, other wind generation initiatives under development , such as San Matías and Rinconada,will contribute with more than 360 MW of renewable capacity.

 Greentegra

Los Olmos is part of the Greentegra strategy that AES Andes has been carrying out since May 2018 and which aims to accelerate a safer and more sustainable energy future. Since then, the company has signed contracts for renewable sources for more than 11 TWh per year, while, in terms of capacity, it has added 392 MW of renewable generation and batteries to its portfolio and currently has 1,030 MW under construction. In total, by 2025 it will have increased its installed capacity of renewable energy and batteries by 209%, adding a total of 2.8 additional GW to its portfolio. This represents a contribution to sustainable reactivation with investments close to US$ 3,000 million, which will generate more than 7,000 direct jobs in the markets in which it is present.