The Genneia company will invest 250 million dollars to build one in Anchoris, Luján de Cuyo, and another in Los Molles, Malargüe. In two years, they hope to add 270 MW, which is equivalent to providing energy to 157,480 homes.
Mendoza already has three photovoltaic parks in operation. Image: tawatchai07/Freepik
Law 27191 establishes that by 2025 Argentina must reach 20% of its energy supply with renewable sources (without hydroelectric). Today, the country is not far away and – according to Cammesa – with the main contribution from solar and wind sources, the average contribution from renewables reaches 18%. From Mendozathe provincial government confirmed the construction of two new ventures that will help to achieve the objective.
Specifically, between 2024 and 2025, a new solar park in Los Molles, Malargüe, with 93 MW of installed capacity, which will have more than 160,000 photovoltaic modules on an area of 312 hectares. This work will require a total investment of 90 million dollars. There will also be built the Anchoris Solar Park in Luján de Cuyo, which will have an installed capacity of 180 MW, with nearly 360,000 solar panels, on a 395-hectare property. This park will require an investment of 160 million dollars.
The provincial Executive highlighted that these projects will avoid the emission of 290 thousand tons of CO2 and will supply clean energy to more than 157,480 homes. Meanwhile, these ventures are expected to generate around 1,200 direct jobs.
In the presentation, the importance of infrastructure to connect these generators was also highlighted, such as the Cruz de Piedra line 220, which will allow the continued expansion of clean energy generation in the region. To this will be added both projects, the first large-scale in the province, which will accompany the productive diversification of Mendozaembarked on a strong strategy of energy transition and mining developments.
The Executive presented the new solar parks together with representatives of Genneia. Photo: Mendoza Government Press
Genneia is the company specialized in renewable energy projects that will carry out these solar projects. Its main shareholder, Jorge Brito, remarked that for the company “Legal security is very importantthe link with the province and with the municipalities.”
For his part, Governor Cornejo explained: “Mendoza has great potential to be an important player in solar energy and contribute to caring for the environment. Today, Mendoza produces more megabytes than we had ten years ago.”
Mendoza wants to accelerate more projects
Although these two photovoltaic projects have received dispatch priority from Cammesa, there are still challenges to overcome, such as the need to improve transmission infrastructure to efficiently integrate renewable energy into the electrical grid.
In fact, Mendoza has also been working on infrastructure works that were thought about years ago but had not been completed. An example is the double triple power line at 220 kV that links the Gran Mendoza substation with the Cruz de Piedra substation. Works like these will considerably improve system reliability and transmission capacity (around 1,000 MW more).
In Mendoza there are three solar parks in operation: PASIP photovoltaic solar park, in Palmira, San Martín (4,000 panels); the Santa Rosa Solar Park (20,000 panels); and the Helios park in Santa Rosa (11,500 panels).
This was the contribution in April at the national level of renewables from solar and wind sources. Source: Cammesa
Six new solar parks on the way
All projects have been declared of provincial interest and Today there are 570 MW of new clean energy for Mendozwith capacity for increase. Almost 66% of this indicated power (375 MW) has been the result of research, technical work, reports and proposals by Empresa Mendocina de Energía SA (Emesa).
- Luján de Cuyo (Aconcagua Solar Park): With a total capacity of 90 MW, the park was projected and planned by Emesa and is developed by Aconcagua Energía, which through the Cammesa agreement will begin injecting 25MW into the network.
- Malargüe. Close to the main city of that department, it will be built by Aconcagua Energía, with the capacity to generate 25 MW. This project, also designed by Emesa, will begin by injecting 20MW into the grid.
- Anchoris (Luján de Cuyo). This park was planned and developed by Emesa, with the capacity to generate 115 MW, which due to the agreement with Cammesa will be fully injected into the network. It will be executed by Genneia, a company specialized in renewable energy.
- El Quemado (Las Heras). With the capacity to generate 400 MW, this park located in Las Heras was designed by Emesa and awarded to YPF Luz. Through the agreement with Cammesa, it will inject 100 MW into the network.
- Los Molles (Malargüe). It will have the capacity to generate 90MW and will be executed by Genneia.
- San Rafael. It will have the capacity to generate 100MW and will be developed by Genneia.
