Parque Arauco will inaugurate its first solar project, Arauco I , next Friday, May 8th , which will mark a turning point by consolidating itself as one of the largest renewable complexes in Argentina, with 345 MW of installed power.
“We will add 64 MW of photovoltaic capacity and it will allow us to complete a hybrid scheme that places La Rioja in a small group of large-scale developments in South America,” said the company's president, Ariel Parmigiani , highlighting the regional relevance of the wind-solar model in a dialogue with Energía Estratégica.
“If we consider the entire Arauco complex, where we are mostly owners and also operate for third parties, we reach 345 MW. And this is no small detail because there are only three renewable energy plants in Argentina of 300 MW or more (Cauchari and Loma Blanca are already operational, in addition to El Quemado, which will soon reach 300 MW); but to have 345 MW, in this case we gain a significant advantage and become the largest renewable energy park in Argentina,” he insisted.
The solar plant will contribute 64 MW with state-of-the-art technology, including 89,088 photovoltaic panels from Trina Solar, 1,536 Trina Tracker trackers and Huawei inverters, connecting to the transformer station that bears the same name as the project.
And with regard to the contract, the PPA will be framed under Decree 476/2019 , a tool launched during the presidency of Mauricio Macri that allows the direct contracting of energy between the National State and provincial companies.
Furthermore, the development is integrated into a complex located on 17,000 hectares in the Puerta Valley, where more than 100 wind turbines operate.
The project's differentiating factor lies in its hybrid scheme, which takes advantage of the complementarity between afternoon and night wind generation (mainly between 3-4 pm until 6 am) and daytime solar to optimize the use of the grid; in addition to allowing maximization of existing infrastructure without the need for new transmission lines.
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What are the next steps?
Parmigiani revealed that they have evacuation infrastructure for 450 MW, which opens up room for future expansions.
“We have the capacity to continue growing by almost 100 MW directly in the coming years, but with the plan to hybridize the projects, we could even reach 200 or 300 MW (...) We already have projects developed and approved, one for the Term Market (MATER) and another under decree 476/2019, totaling 160 MW of solar power. The idea is to move forward with these two projects in the second half of the year,” he explained.
The next step in Parque Arauco's strategy will be to incorporate energy storage to consolidate a continuous renewable supply, so the company is analyzing the installation of batteries in the complex, in line with global trends and the needs of the Argentine electrical system.
“ By 2027, we would face the challenge of expanding or completing the hybridization of the entire complex, perhaps also incorporating energy storage. We are aiming for a renewable baseload capacity of 1. This would mean being able to dispatch 450 MW 24 hours a day. Reaching that would be our ultimate goal and the highest level of efficiency,” the interviewee anticipated.
The company is also evaluating its participation in the AlmaSADI tender, which seeks to award 700 MW of BESS systems at critical nodes in the country. The submission of bids and the opening of Envelope A (administrative and technical proposals) are scheduled for May 27. The financial bids will be revealed on June 24, and the contract will be awarded on July 8.
“We are analyzing the bidding process; we may participate, but there is no clear decision yet. However, we are studying the battery issue, either directly or indirectly, and batteries will certainly be installed in La Rioja in the future. We don't know if it will be under this bidding process or another scheme,” emphasized the president of Parque Arauco.