Siemens confirms Chile debut with 115 MW wind order

Siemens Energy has received an order for a total of 50 wind turbines with a combined capacity of 115 megawatts (MW) for the El Arrayan wind power plant in Chile. This wind project will be developed as a joint venture between Pattern Energy and AEI, two leading independent energy companies developing projects in Chile because of its great potential for sustainable energy development and its strong investment climate. Furthermore, the mining division of Antofagasta plc, which is the parent company of Minera Los Pelambres, the power offtaker, has purchased an equity stake in the El Arrayan project. The scope of supply encompasses delivery, installation and commissioning of the 50 SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines, including a five-year service and maintenance contract. Installation of the project is scheduled to begin in spring 2013, with commissioning of the wind power plant planned for early 2014.

‘This will be the 10th wind power project that we are partnering on with Pattern Energy, and it is further evidence of the collaborative, long-term relationship our two companies enjoy. We greatly value Pattern Energy’s confidence in our technologies and are very pleased to partner with them once again as they continue to provide clean, renewable energy to citizens in South and North America,’ said Mark Albenze, CEO of the Siemens Wind Power Americas Business Unit. ‘The El Arrayan wind power plant is our first project in South America outside Brazil and marks our entry into the Chilean market. We look forward to growing our presence in this region.’ The Global Wind Energy Council concluded that Chile has good wind resources from the northern deserts to the extreme South and estimates the country’s wind energy potential to be around 40 GW. Other Siemens wind orders in South America include three projects with a combined capacity of nearly 300 megawatts (MW) in Brazil, which will be installed in 2012 and 2013.

The El Arrayan Wind Farm is located approximately 400 kilometers north of Santiago on the coast of the Coquimbo IV Region. Once completed, it will be the largest wind project in Chile and provide clean and renewable energy to power the equivalent of approximately 200,000 local households. Seventy percent of the energy generated by the wind power plant will be dedicated to supply power to Minera Los Pelambres, one of the most important mineral producers in the country. This will allow Minera Los Pelambres to advance its objective toward sustainability, based on the replacement of conventional energy by wind power generation with carbon credits for 160,000 tons of CO2 per year.

Wind Power is part of Siemens’ Environmental Portfolio. In fiscal 2011, revenue from the Portfolio totaled about EUR30 billion, making Siemens one of the world’s largest suppliers of ecofriendly technologies. In the same period, our products and solutions enabled customers to reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by nearly 320 million tons, an amount equal to the total annual CO2 emissions of Berlin, Delhi, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, New York, Singapore and Tokyo.

Wind energy in Chile

2002: 1 MW (- %)
2003: 2 MW (+100 %)
2004: 2 MW (- %)
2005: 2 MW (- %)
2006: 2 MW (- %)
2007: 20 MW (+900 %)
2008: 20 MW (- %)
2009: 168 MW (+740 %)
2010: 172 MW (+2.4 %)
2011: 205 MW (+19.2 %)

By José Santamarta, www.siemens.com/energy