The Chilean Undersecretary of Energy Francisco López inaugurates La Estrella, Opdenergy’s first wind farm in Chile

14 September 2021

  • Located in the O’Higgins region, La Estrella has a total installed capacity of 50MW
  • The wind farm will generate a total of 100GWh/year, energy equivalent to the annual consumption of more than 60,000 homes.

Image - From Left to Right: Carlos Ortiz, Country Manager at Chile Opdenergy; Angélica Silva, mayor of La Estrella; Alejandro Weber, Undersecretary of Finance; Francisco López, Undersecretary of Energy; Ricardo Guzmán, presidential delegate of the government; and Pedro Pablo Ogaz, Minister of Energy of the O’Higgins Region

14 September 2021.- Opdenergy, an independent renewable energy producer focused on solar PV and onshore wind technologies, has inaugurated today the wind farm La Estrella, it’s first wind asset in Chile located in the area of O’Higgins.The inauguration event has been led by the Chilean Undersecretary of Energy Francisco López, together with the Undersecretary of Finance, Alejandro Weber, the Regional Presidential Delegate, Ricardo Guzmán and the Energy Seremi, Pedro Pablo Ogaz.

The wind farm, which started operation earlier this year, has a total installed capacity of 50MW which will produce 100GWh/year, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of more than 60,000 homes. This is possible given a total of 11 wind turbines Siemens Gamesa with an individual capacity of 4.5MW, with a total height of 127.5 meters and a 145-meter diameter three-bladed rotor

Opdenergy sells its energy production to the Chilean electric distributors through long-term PPA contracts, signed after being awarded with 176GWh/year in the Chilean 2016 renewable energy tender, with a combination of wind and solar energy.

This PPA is supplied through the energy produced by the wind farm La Estrella, and the solar park Sol de Los Andes of 104MWp currently under construction. Additionally, we should add the PPA awarded in the latest energy tender, which all together represent close to 1,000GWh/year of energy contracted in Chile.

Opdenergy continues to contribute to diversifying the country’s green matrix, which has set itself the goal of achieving carbon neutrality. In fact, by 2021 clean energy is expected to reach 35.5% of the system, according to data from the National Electric Coordinator.

For Carlos Ortiz, Country Manager of Opdenergy in Chile, “the inauguration of our first large-scale wind farm is a relevant milestone to advance with our objectives in Chile. We want to reach 1,000GWh/year of contracted wind and solar energy in the coming years. The recent award in Chile’s latest renewable energy auction is a key element to support this future growth.”

On the other hand, the Undersecretary of Energy, Francisco López said that “it is very gratifying to see the large number of renewable energy projects that are being developed in the O’Higgins Region, where today we have inaugurated the La Estrella Wind Farm that will contribute significantly to the national electricity system“.

Furthermore, López stressed that “the energy transition towards a matrix from clean energies and the regional portfolio of renewable energy projects, has allowed to generate an economic reactivation through the investment and dynamism that the energy sector has had. As a country, we make two important commitments. First, to be carbon neutral by 2050 and then to advance in the decarbonization of our matrix; and for this we need more renewable energies, more power generation projects, especially solar and wind; and this inauguration also shows the great potential that the O’Higgins Region has to be able to advance in this ambitious goal of transition of our energy matrix“.

During the construction period of the wind farm, there were up to 100 workers, mostly hired among inhabitants of the region.

To learn more about La Estrella and make a 360° view, you can access the  Opdenergy website.