Calama (Chile), June the 18th, 2012 –Solarpack, a Spanish multinational developer and builder of photovoltaic solar power plants, and Codelco (Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile) have put into operation the new Calama Solar 3 photovoltaic plant in Chile, the country’s first industrial plant. It has an overall power of 1 MW using horizontal tracking that enables the maximum use of solar radiation. It has been designed and built to supply energy to Codelco’s Chuquicamata mine, the biggest open-cast mine in the world.
 
Located in the Atacama Desert (North-East of Chile), the new solar farm is the first facility worldwide able to generate and sell energy at market prices without the need for public subsidies of any kind.
 
Furthermore, Calama Solar 3 has 100 kW of generation for research and development (R&D) in three different module types: Cadmium Telluride, CIGS technology (Copper, Indium, Gallium, Selenium) and double concentrated silicone (2x). As the owner of the plant, Solarpack will provide the produced energy through a long term agreement to Codelco. The facility will be operated and managed by Solarpack.
 
The inauguration event was attended by the Energy and the Mining Ministers of Chile, Jorge Bunster and Hernán de Solminihac respectively, as well as by the Executive Chairman of Codelco, Thomas Keller, and by the Managing Director of Solarpack Chile, Javier Arellano.
 
The representatives of the Chilean government as well as Codelco’s Chairman highlighted the significance that this initiative has for Chile, in the important development of renewable energies in the country.
 
Solarpack also emphasised the relevance of this project in its international expansion and its commitment to Chile and South America.