ContourGlobal has commenced operations at its Victor Jara hybrid power plant in Tarapacá, Chile, which features a 231MW-peak (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with a 1.3GW-hour (GWh) battery system.

The project is capable of supplying up to 200MW of clean energy for 6.5 hours after sunset.

ContourGlobal said the facility is the longest-duration utility-scale battery energy storage project operating in Latin America and is among the longest-duration systems of its kind globally.

The Victor Jara facility features a 15-year night-focused power purchase agreement (PPA) with Copec EMOAC, a renewable energy provider in Chile.

The PPA facilitates ContourGlobal’s Sun at Night initiative by storing solar energy when demand is low and releasing it during peak periods in the late afternoon and evening.

This strategy enhances the flexibility and stability of Chile's power grid, supporting efficient renewable energy integration and maximising solar energy use throughout the day.

ContourGlobal South America general manager James Lee Stancampiano said: “By integrating solar energy with long-duration battery storage, Chile is taking a decisive step toward a more resilient and sustainable energy matrix.

“The key challenge today is to move from intermittent renewable generation to a firm, reliable and sustainable renewable supply.

“With this milestone, ContourGlobal reaches 850MW in operation in the country across solar PV and storage, reinforcing our contribution to this new phase of the power system.

“We are proud to be part of this transformation and will continue investing in Chile, one of our most important strategic markets.”

ContourGlobal’s solar-plus-storage operations in Chile are fully functional and feature the Quillagua project in Antofagasta, which comprises a 221MWp solar PV system alongside 1.2GWh of storage.

In January this year, the company commissioned a battery energy storage system in Bulgaria with a total capacity of 500MW-hours.