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This is the first green hydrogen project in a generation plant in Chile – in this case, Nehuenco – and the first green hydrogen molecules produced by the Chilean electricity company. The Chilean electricity company Colbún will produce green hydrogen and will use it to feed the cooling system of its Nehuenco thermoelectric plant, located in the Valparaíso Region. The project contemplates the construction of its own electrolyzer and a small solar plant - with an installed power of barely 100 kW -, which will allow the generation of green hydrogen in Nehuenco and thus replace the gray hydrogen that is currently used for the cooling process of the Units. II and III. Colbún explains that only around 30 liters of water per day will be required for the system to operate. The project will begin construction in early 2024 and production is estimated to begin towards the end of the same year. Colbún is already in the process of quoting equipment such as electrolyzers, H2 storage tanks, photovoltaic panels and control systems, among others. In January of this year, Colbún signed an alliance with the Japanese conglomerate Sumitomo to develop green hydrogen projects to produce ammonia. This agreement will allow both companies to jointly study the feasibility of developing industrial projects in the regions of Antofagasta and Magallanes aimed at producing green ammonia based on hydrogen produced with renewable energy. In 2022, the company formed a consortium with several actors and the Santiago Airport to explore uses of this fuel in its facilities. Regarding its growth plans, Colbún seeks to build more than 4,000 MW by 2030 through a plan to develop wind, solar, and storage projects. Currently, the company has a portfolio of renewable projects in early and advanced stages of development, totaling around 1,000 MW. |
