Latin America’s ambitions for large-scale energy storage are moving from concept to construction with Zelestra’s Aurora project, a 1 GWh hybrid solar-plus-storage plant now underway in northern Chile.
The project’s significance lies not only in its size—one of the region’s largest battery deployments—but also in its technical complexity and strategic alignment with Chile’s decarbonization roadmap. However, beneath the headline agreement between Zelestra and Sungrow, challenges remain in integrating such hybrid systems into the region’s still-developing grid infrastructure.
Zelestra’s selection of Sungrow’s PowerTitan 2.0 liquid-cooled battery system and modular inverters reflects a shift toward utility-scale solutions capable of managing both intermittency and dispatchability. The Aurora project pairs a 220 MWdc solar plant with roughly 1 GWh of energy storage capacity, intended to enable round-the-clock clean energy delivery via a long-term PPA with Abastible.
Zelestra’s strategy hinges on combining solar with battery systems that offer long-duration energy output, addressing one of the central criticisms of variable renewables: lack of baseload reliability. Sungrow’s liquid-cooled PowerTitan 2.0 promises higher energy density and longer cycle life, and the inclusion of MV Power Conversion Systems indicates an effort to optimize integration at the substation level.
However, the success of these innovations depends heavily on Chile’s regulatory pace and grid reform. Despite the government’s 2022 National Energy Storage Strategy—which targets 5 GW of storage by 2030—progress on grid digitalization and flexible pricing mechanisms remains inconsistent. The recent delay of the planned national grid upgrade (PMGD-PMGE reform) has further dampened investor confidence.
Moreover, the operational value of a 1 GWh battery system depends not just on its capacity but on how it is dispatched. Without transparent market mechanisms for ancillary services or time-of-use pricing, battery operators face limited revenue streams beyond arbitrage and PPA commitments.
Zelestra’s decision to secure a long-term agreement with Abastible points to growing demand among Chilean corporates for stable, carbon-free electricity. This aligns with broader procurement trends. According to BloombergNEF’s 2024 Corporate Energy Market Outlook, Latin American clean energy PPAs totaled over 4.2 GW in 2023, with Chile and Brazil leading activity. Zelestra, listed among BNEF’s top 10 global clean energy suppliers to corporates, appears well-positioned to capitalize on this shift.
However, the scale of its Latin American pipeline—7 GW of multi-technology projects—will test both regulatory agility and supply chain resilience. Even as Sungrow brings mature inverter and storage platforms to the table, logistical constraints and permitting delays have hampered large-scale BESS deployments in the region. Brazil’s similar-scale battery initiatives, for instance, have faced average lead times of 20–24 months due to port clearance and local approval lags.
The Aurora project could set a new benchmark for hybrid energy models in Latin America, but only if technical excellence aligns with policy and infrastructure readiness. With construction already underway and equipment delivery projected for late 2025, the next 18 months will serve as a critical test of how scalable and bankable these integrated systems truly are.
Stay updated on the latest in energy! Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X for real-time news and insights. Don’t miss out on exclusive interviews and webinars—subscribe to our YouTube channel today! Join our community and be part of the conversation shaping the future of energy.
