First solar thermal power plant in South America

In the middle of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, the first solar thermal power plant in Latin America comes out of the ground. A tower 250 meters high, surrounded by thousands of giant mirrors, the plant allows continuous electricity production, unlike conventional forms of renewable energy. The project named Cerro Dominador is a symbol of Chile's ambitious energy transition, which aims to achieve 100% green energy production by 2040. By 2020, the plant is expected to generate electricity for 250,000 homes, using CSP technology capable of generating electricity for 17.5 hours without needing the sun. Chile, the showcase of green energies in South America

The reservoir contains molten salts that will be heated to 565 ° C and used in turn to heat the water. The steam is propelled into a turbine that produces energy when the sun does not shine anymore. This is a first in Latin America for this technology. A large part of the continent's countries are increasingly concerned about the preservation of the environment and therefore want to invest in the development of renewable energies.

The project, built by the Spanish companies Acciona and Abengoa, was funded with the investment of more than US $ 800 million from EIG Global Energy Partners.