Successful bid price of industrial battery cabinet project in Chile 2030

Are battery energy storage systems a viable alternative for Chilean power producers?

With transmission lines at overcapacity and permitting delays slowing the development of new grid infrastructure, battery energy storage systems (BESS) have surged as a profitable alternative for Chilean power producers.

How much does a battery cost in Chile?

In fact, batteries charged at nearly $0/MWh during the day in the sunny, northern desert regions of Chile, sell energy at night for over $100/MWh. Although projects such as Engie’s BESS Coya are already enjoying these large spreads, this capacity payment will partially de-risk Chile’s dependence on volatile, but still profitable, merchant revenues.

Why are project finance transactions increasing in Chile?

Fitch Ratings-Sao Paulo/New York-01 April 2025: Project finance transactions in Chile are expected to increase due to the recent commissioning of large battery energy storage systems (BESS), Fitch Ratings says. This should balance electricity supply and demand while reducing price volatility for renewable energy generators.

How many Bess projects are there in Chile?

This momentum is reflected in the data: AMI estimates that there is a 7.7 GW pipeline of BESS projects in Chile, far and away the most advanced front of the meter (FTM) storage market in Latin America. 1 Only 505 MW of BESS projects are currently operational in the entire region.

How can battery storage help reduce the financial impact of curtailment?

Battery storage systems can capitalize on this arbitrage opportunity and help reduce the financial impact of curtailment in hybrid solar power plants until large transmission line projects become operational, stabilizing cashflows. Chile has an operational installed capacity of approximately 1GW in batteries, and another 3GW is under construction.

Can co-located batteries help solar plants capture better power prices?

Co-located batteries, like Engie S.A.’s BESS Coya, will help solar plants capture better power prices by charging the batteries during solar hours when power prices are very low and dispatching energy during peak hours when prices are close to USD 100/MWh.