Arctech, the world's leading tracking, racking, and BIPV solutions provider, announced its new deal with POWERCHINA Huadong Engineering Corporation. The company will provide 257 MW FIXED-TILT STRUCTURE for the CEME 1 project, a 480MW photovoltaic power plant project in Chile. 

Located in the Antofagasta region, in the Atacama Desert, the CEME1 solar power plant will be the largest in the country in terms of installed capacity. Benefiting from exceptional levels of solar irradiation, it will be able to supply around 400,000 Chilean homes while avoiding the emission of 280,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The 480MW solar park will consist of 860,000 photovoltaic modules and will cover approximately 400 hectares, the equivalent of 370 football fields.

This project is fully in line with Chile's energy transition, which aims to gradually move away from its dependence on coal by developing large-scale renewable projects backed up by gas-fired power stations to ensure continuity of supply. Construction work is expected to begin in late 2021 for commissioning in 2023

Arctech’s fixed-tilt structure is famous for its large capacity, easy installation and strong compatibility. It is also built for high durability and opted for Extensive Use, proving ideal by providing increased terrain-following capability in the era of big modules. 

The project will be another flagship project in Chile and another example of a solar tracker project with excellent performance. Entered Chile in 2019, Arctech has nevertheless focused on the region and managed to sign several contracts to build solar power plants in the country.

Represented by the deal with IM2 Solar Chile Spa for a total of 74MW in 2021, and a 156.86MW project cooperation with Sunshine Energy in Togo, Arctech has harvested a total of 1.6GW in the LATAM market by the end of 2021. 

Chile aims to reach carbon neutrality. Its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commits the country to reach net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 and sets targets for emissions to be reduced progressively over time. To comply with the goals of the NDC, line ministries have considered a set of sectoral transformations, such as closing coal-fired power plants, promoting electric mobility, and increasing forest captures which, taken together, could bring emissions down to zero.

Arctech is the key technology partner for the biggest developers in the Latam region. According to the report from Wood Mackenzie Power& Renewables, Arctech has continued to take the third spot in the Mexican market ranking in 2020. The sales momentum for Arctech's signature 2P tracker, SkySmart II, remains strong in the region, especially in Chile, Colombia and Argentina, and its recently launched SkyLine II, the world's first 1P single-axis tracker equipped with pentagonal torque tube design and synchronous multi-point drive mechanism, has propellered the company in harvesting its first contract in Latam, since the company just announced starting shipment of 1P single-axis tracker SkyLine II for the 82 MW Sierras de Ullum solar farm project in Argentina, the company’s first utility-scale project utilizing SkyLine II in the country.