More renewable projects progress in Chile

AES submits Environmental Impact Assessment for Project Inna

AES Chile has submitted its EIA to government authorities for Project Inna, a large-scale renewable hydrogen and ammonia production site to be located in northern Chile. Though Project Inna is in the early stages of development, submission of an EIA is a critical step  – only a handful of proposed renewable ammonia projects in Chile are currently at this stage.

In related news, AES and Samsung C&T signed a project development MoU for Project Inna. Samsung C&T will construct Korea’s first renewable ammonia import terminal to support coal co-firing at the Samcheok Bitdream Headquarters power plant. The pair will explore domestic and export opportunities for hydrogen and ammonia, and the large-scale deployment of renewable energy to add to Chile’s national grid.

AES Chile has carried out dedicated and extensive community and stakeholder engagement work in this region previously and has paid special attention to the Changos communities present in the area. We will maintain this commitment as we explore this project further.

AES Vice President of International Green Hydrogen Luis Sarrás in his organisation’s official press release, 24 Dec 2024

Mejillones Ammonia Energy (MAE) secures recycled water supply

To support its 600,000 tons per year ammonia production project in northern Chile, MAE has announced a new wastewater treatment plant to supply water for electrolysis. Local media reports that, starting in 2027, the treatment plant will supply water to both Project Volta and the local Mejillones community, with an existing desalination plant to provide the balance of water requirements for electrolysis.

We are very pleased to fulfill this commitment to the community while securing a sustainable water supply for our project. As a company driven by sustainability, we aim to bring a positive effect to Mejillones, improving the quality of life for its residents. Efficient water use and environmental protection are central to our mission, and this agreement marks a major milestone in achieving those goals.

Gonzalo Moyano, CEO of MAE quoted in Portal Minero, 12 Dec 2024

Maritime concessions awarded for port construction in Magallanes

In the relatively undeveloped Magallanes region in the country’s south, a number of mega-scale ammonia production projects are planned. This month, Chile’s Defense Ministry granted concessions to three of these projects – HNH Energy, the Gente Grande project and Llaquedona Green Hydrogen – for the construction of terminals, desalination plants, pipelines and shore-to-ship transfer infrastructure.

Launched in 2021, the $8 billion Gente Grande project will feature up to 3 GW of renewable energy generation. Environmental impact studies, feasibility work and community consultation have been carried out by project partners Transitional Energy Group and Hive Energy.

Llaquedona Green Hydrogen is a partnership between local developer Sociedad de Inversiones Albatros, Alafanar and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. The project will feature 1.7 GW of onshore wind, 1.5 GW of installed electrolysers, and the production of 800,000 tons per year of renewable ammonia. Llaquedona Green Hydrogen is one of a number of projects in CIP’s development pipeline, with the Danish organisation aiming to establish a global network of alternative maritime fuel production sites.