Energy group SOLEK has entered into an agreement with the Chilean port of Puerto San Antonio to develop a green hydrogen power plant. The aim is to reduce the carbon footprint left by the busiest port on the west coast of South America.
The emission-free hydrogen will be generated from the green energy produced by the Leyda solar power plant that SOLEK is developing just 22 kilometers from Puerto San Antonio. The Leyda project envisages a capacity of 96 MWp and should be ready to start construction within the next year 2022. Green hydrogen will be produced in the port not only from solar energy, but also by electrolysis of water, and wind farms are also envisaged for a continuous supply of energy. SOLEK is therefore also pursuing acquisition opportunities for the construction of wind farms in the area, which would enable the port to guarantee a stable and continuous supply of green energy. In the future, this project could also open up opportunities for the Group to use the experience gained in wind energy in other countries of operation.
“The whole world already knows that we cannot do without renewables in the future. Hydrogen is just at the beginning, but so was photovoltaics about 15 years ago. By signing this agreement, we are among those taking the first steps in the inevitable technological shift. In addition, partnering with the progressive Port of Puerto San Antonio to build a green hydrogen power plant will help reduce the carbon footprint of port terminals locally,” commented Zdenek Sobotka, founder and CEO of SOLEK Energy Group, on the agreement.
The green hydrogen produced will be used to fuel vehicles and clear or transport cargo at the port. The agreement with the SOLEK group guarantees the Chilean port, in addition to the future installation of the electrolyser, the production of renewable energy at a more favourable cost. The first step will be to carry out a feasibility study, and the second phase is the actual implementation of the project.
“We very much appreciate the involvement in this innovative project. As our government has expressed on several occasions, the development of this ‘fuel factory of the future’ is a huge opportunity for Chile and the country’s main port must be a pioneer in this regard. Green hydrogen will be essential in reducing carbon emissions and will allow us to offer a powerful alternative to concessionaires,” assessed Luis Knaak, General Manager of Puerto San Antonio.
The port of Puerto San Antonio is located on the shores of central Chile and is closest to the capital city of Santiago de Chile. It is the largest state-owned port in Chile and the fifth largest in Latin America. It has active concessions with five operators that handle cargo at the port, and containers from Puerto San Antonio to major cities in Chile are also transported by train. In 2020 alone, 1.5 million containers passed through the port, for a total of 22 million tonnes of cargo.
SOLEK Energy Group is engaged in the design, construction and operation of solar power plants mainly in the Latin American region, specifically in Chile, where it now has solar power plants with a capacity of over 100 MW. This autumn, the company also completed its first project in Cyprus and plans dozens more there. SOLEK is thus well on its way to achieving its goal of 500 MW of total installed capacity within two years. This is also thanks to the cooperation with the global fund of the American investment corporation BlackRock or the French investment bank Natixis.