Chilean clean energy developer Biwo Renovables has obtained an environmental permit to install a 20.64-MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at a site in the Maule region of central Chile. The Volcan Guallatiri project is valued at approximately USD 45 million (EUR 41.6 million).
The BESS will utilize lithium iron phosphate batteries and consist of six units of a 3.44-MW medium voltage station, along with 24 units of 3.44-MWh battery containers, resulting in a total power rating of 20.64 MW and an energy storage capacity of 82.56 MWh at the start of operations. The system will be charged using surplus electricity from the grid and discharged according to demand.
The project site, located in the commune of Retiro, was selected for its proximity to the existing Paso Hondo substation, which will support the BESS. Construction is slated to commence in September 2025 and is expected to be completed by March 2026.
Biwo Renovables partners with Swiss investment manager SUSI Partners, which announced in August 2024 plans to fund the development of Biwo's BESS project portfolio in Chile, comprising 22 projects with a total capacity of 860 MW. It remains unclear whether the Volcan Guallatiri project is part of this partnership.
