Parque Arauco officially inaugurated its first solar project, Arauco I, with 64 MW of installed capacity within the -now- hybrid complex in Valle de la Puerta, La Rioja province, which consolidates a total operating capacity of 345 MW.
Energía Estratégica was present on a day when the wind offered no respite. The gusts, even more intense than expected, swept across the site where the company was achieving a strategic milestone that goes beyond its photovoltaic debut.
But far from disrupting the day, the weather ended up serving as an unintentional explanation of the strategy behind the project: while the wind resource was making its presence felt strongly, just a few meters away more than 89,000 solar panels were being deployed, reinforcing the company's commitment to renewable hybridization.
From wind frustration to solar opportunity
Parque Arauco's solar debut is not solely the result of a technological diversification decision. Behind the project lies a story of strategic reformulation, regulatory changes, financial timing, and an accelerated execution that surprised even within the industry.
“It took almost five years from its inception to its inauguration, given that the project originated in 2021, when the idea of hybridizing the systems arose. From that moment, we analyzed whether the generation curves of the wind resource were compatible with the solar resource,” stated Emmanuel Rejal , director of Parque Arauco.
“We decided yes and got to work obtaining the PPA. Once that was achieved, we worked on finding financing and, in the meantime, thousands of things happened to us,” he said in an exclusive interview with this news portal.
However, the project's origins go back even further, as years earlier, Parque Arauco was planning a wind farm expansion under Resolution SE 108/11. But regulatory changes left the company out of the subsequent scheme, despite having an advanced development; although far from freezing the expansion, the company completely reformulated its strategy.
“We saw that wind power was changing and solar technology was decreasing in cost. Therefore, it was advisable to modify the project, switching from wind to solar, hybridizing it, and working on securing a PPA, figuring out how to sell the energy and obtain financing,” explained Ariel Parmigiani, president of Parque Arauco.
That model ended up crystallizing with a PPA contract 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.
“It’s a price that’s been put out to tender. It’s a technology-weighted average of the RenovAr Program tenders; in this case, it’s USD 55 per MWh for a period of 20 years,” Parmigiani stated.
But while the structuring of the project took years, the construction was exactly the opposite: from the time the supplies were on site, construction took between four and five months , an unusually short time for a development of this magnitude, so that by April 30 the Arauco I solar park was already finished.
Part of the success was also linked to exceptional timing in terms of technology costs. “ We caught the right moment in terms of prices, especially for solar panels, which were below 9 cents per watt ,” Parmigiani acknowledged.
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But the park's inauguration appears to be just the beginning. Why? The company currently has an evacuation capacity of 450 MW , enabling further expansion without the immediate need for additional infrastructure, while simultaneously preparing the integration of the Chamical projects, corresponding to 18 MW awarded in the RenMDI 2023 tender.
“Arauco’s mission is to develop as many renewable energy projects as possible, both for ourselves and for third parties. We can develop them ourselves, in partnership with others, or directly for third parties. It makes no difference to us; as long as it’s done within the province, we consider it a success,” emphasized its president.
“We have many projects in the pipeline, some already developed, others for which we have offers to develop, projects that are under development, and ideas or concepts that we also want to work on,” he added.
Consequently, the commissioning of Arauco Solar I represents not only Parque Arauco's entry into solar energy. It marks the beginning of a new phase where hybridization ceases to be a technical hypothesis and becomes the company's new engine of expansion.
“We are part of a state policy in the province. Renewable energy is not just about the Parque Arauco company, but about the entire challenge of improving people's way of life and their way of producing through this resource. Parque Arauco is the flagship, the most visible, and the one that can showcase these achievements, but for it to be what it is, there must be a state policy to support it,” emphasized Alfredo Pedrali, Secretary of Energy of La Rioja.
Winti: Parque Arauco's other bet
Beyond operational growth, the company also consolidated an educational arm within the complex. This is Winti , an interactive center focused on renewable energy, recycling, and sustainable mobility, located adjacent to the hybrid complex and conceived as a technology outreach platform for schools and visitors.
“Winti was born in 2021 with the idea that sixth-grade students in primary schools could have their first contact with renewable energy. We receive an average of 7,000 children per year, with nearly 40,000 children since we started the project,” Rejal explained .
The space integrates immersive experiences, interactive games, models and direct visualization of the renewable complex, so under the gaze of the authorities of Parque Arauco, it represents "opening the doors so that anyone who wants to know about the park and renewable energies can do so."
The proposal not only focuses on educational training, but also on building an energy culture around an industry that is gaining strategic importance in Argentina. For Parque Arauco, the development of new megawatts thus coexists with another long-term objective: training those who will eventually be part of the next stage of the energy transition.
FES's next stops
The Future Energy Summit tour will continue with FES Guatemala on May 14 and FES Mexico on May 19, where key players from the public and private sectors will address the challenges and opportunities linked to the expansion of the energy system, new investment schemes and the execution of strategic projects.
To access the full FES 2026 tour schedule, learn more about it and be part of the meetings, the FES digital platform is available, while all events will have a live broadcast through the official Future Energy Summit YouTube channel.
For inquiries and more information, please contact info@futurenergysummit.com