CHILE TO BUILD BIG WIND

One of the arguments against government-funded New Energy incentives is that they flood the sector with money not obtained via the unprejudiced, invisible hand of the marketplace.

One of the arguments in favor of government-funded New Energy incentives is that they flood the sector with money that will grow more New Energy.

Spain chose the latter argument. Result: New Energy development in Latin America.

While the policy analysts keep arguing, the developers will keep building.

click to enlarge

Latin America’s largest wind farm in Chile
July 31, 2008 (UPI)
and
Chile, Spain sign wind energy pact
July 31, 2008 (The Economic Times)
and
El grupo espanol Enhol pone in marcha en Chile el major parque eolico del Latinoamerica
31 de Julio de 2008, (Yahoo Finanzas Espana)

WHO
Grupo Enhol (Alfonso Arroyo, director); Haciendas Talinay

WHAT
The companies will partner on the development of Parque Talinay, Latin America’s biggest energia eolica (wind energy) installation.

This region is south of where the big parque eolico will go but is indicative of how Chile has pockets (pink and purple) of enormous wind potential. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- Grupo Enhol built its first wind installation (parque eolico) in 1998.
- The first phase of the Chilean parque eolico is scheduled to begin construction in 2009.
- The project is planned for completion in 2011.

WHERE
The project will be built on Chile’s Pacific coast near the city of Ovalle, some 411 km north of Santiago.

WHY
- The Chilean parque eolico will be built in 3 phases.
- The project will cost $1 billion. It will have 243 turbines and a 500-megawatt capacity.
- The project will include new transmission.
- Talinay Haciendas is essentially a real estate developer.
- Grupo Enhol is involved in 14 wind installations (parques eolicos) around the world with a combined capacity of 260 megawatts. The company has another 390 megawatts under construction and 1,500 megawatts in planning.

This old wind map indicates the wind-rich areas in the north. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Alfonso Arroyo, director, Enhol: "The aim of the project is to generate clean energy and sustainable development in the area."
- Alfonso Arroyo, consejero portavoz, Grupo Enhol: "…este parque representa un salto cualitativo en las incursiones del Grupo fuera de España. Un salto que viene a reforzar nuestra presencia en Latinoamérica y, desde luego, nuestra apuesta decidida por la expansión internacional del Grupo".
- From UPI: “Enhol said it hopes, in addition to clean energy, it can bring new jobs and an economic boost to the area.”