SMA receives order for large-scale project in the Atacama Desert

SMA is supplying 46 Medium Voltage Power Station for the 220 megawatt Diego de Almagro Sur PV power plant in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The project will see South American power generation company Colbun SA expand its portfolio in the field of renewable energies.

“The Diego de Almagro Sur PV power plant will play an important role in the Chilean energy supply market. That is why we are particularly pleased that Colbun SA opted for the reliable technology and proven expertise of SMA,” said Daniel Rosende, General Manager of SMA South America. “Our system solutions for PV projects in the megawatt range have proven their reliability and performance around the world and are ideally suited for the extreme conditions in the Atacama Desert.”

For the Diego de Almagro Sur PV project, SMA will supply a total of 46 Medium Voltage Power Station (MVPS) – each one equipped with a Sunny Central 4600 central inverter as well as a transformer and switchgear in a single container. The container solution is easy to transport and quick to install and commission. With the Opticool® active temperature management system from SMA, the MVPS is ideally suited to the extreme conditions in the world’s driest desert and ensures full performance capability even at high altitudes.

In Chile, 44 percent of the electricity used already comes from renewable energies. The country’s energy program aims to increase the proportion of the fuel mix that comes from renewable energies to as much as 70 percent by 2030 and as much as 95 percent by 2050.