ACCIONA Energía has secured a contract with CATL to supply 1 GWh of battery storage capacity for its Malgarida photovoltaic project in the Atacama Desert, positioning the installation among Latin America’s largest utility-scale battery systems. The deployment of advanced Tener Stack batteries, expected operational by early 2027, will enhance grid stability and renewable integration in Chile’s evolving energy landscape.
ACCIONA Energía will integrate a 1 GWh, 200 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) at its 238 MWp Malgarida solar plant, located in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. The advanced battery technology, sourced from CATL, will enable the storage and dispatch of solar-generated electricity beyond daylight hours, thereby mitigating the intermittency typical of photovoltaic generation. The storage system’s 200 MW power rating with five hours of discharge capacity provides flexibility to manage demand peaks and supports grid reliability. This marks the first deployment in Latin America of CATL’s Tener Stack batteries, which reduce construction costs by approximately 30% due to smaller spatial and equipment requirements. The project has entered the construction phase following approval by Chile’s National Energy Commission, with commissioning targeted for early 2027.
With an installed renewable capacity totaling 922 MW in Chile, ACCIONA manages three wind farms (Punta Palmeras 45 MW, San Gabriel 183 MW, Tolpán Sur 84 MW) alongside five photovoltaic plants including Malgarida. The company is simultaneously advancing a portfolio of three additional battery storage projects amounting to 1.5 GWh, linked to its solar assets. The Malgarida BESS aligns with ACCIONA’s strategy to capitalize on Chile’s abundant solar resource by improving the temporal alignment of generation and consumption, reducing reliance on fossil fuel-based peaking plants and lowering CO₂ emissions. Utility-scale battery systems are increasingly pivotal for Chile’s energy transition, facilitating higher penetration of intermittent renewables while strengthening national energy security and enabling cost-competitive clean power supply during peak demand periods.
