The integrated facility will occupy territory in the communes of San Gregorio, Punta Arenas, and Laguna Blanca, approximately 120 kilometers northeast of Punta Arenas. Core infrastructure includes a 1.4 GW wind farm comprising 194 turbines, a seawater desalination plant, hydrogen production and ammonia synthesis facilities, storage systems, underground pipelines, and a multipurpose maritime terminal. The wind installation operates entirely off-grid, dedicating its generation exclusively to the industrial complex.
Electrolysis capacity reaches 3,000 MW distributed across 150 pressurized alkaline units of 20 MW each. The Chilean Energy Ministry calculates maximum annual hydrogen output at 467,000 tonnes, supporting production of approximately 1.3 million tonnes of green ammonia primarily destined for international markets. Energy storage combines a 1,000 MWh lithium-ion battery system—deployed in phases of 300 MWh and 700 MWh—with 300 tonnes of pressurized hydrogen at 70 bar to buffer renewable generation variability. Port facilities feature three 60,000-tonne ammonia tanks providing 180,000 tonnes of combined storage for vessel loading.
The project entered environmental review in July 2024, completing a 756-day evaluation process representing 67 percent of the 2025 average for comparable assessments. Employment projections indicate an average of 2,446 workers during construction and 1,472 during operations. Alfonso Campos González, owner of the adjacent Estancia San Gregorio, announced intention to appeal the authorization before the Committee of Ministers, citing technical, commercial, and financial concerns alongside impacts on property, fauna, and heritage zones.
HNH Energy identifies securing sectoral permits, structuring financing, and defining investment conditions as immediate next steps. The company acknowledges development timing depends on international market evolution and demand for ammonia and renewable fuels, with construction tentatively targeted for 2027 and production start during the second half of 2030. The 2023 agreement among ENAP, HIF Chile, HNH Energy, and Total Eren to study transformation of the Laredo maritime terminal into hydrogen infrastructure positions the project within broader regional development coordination.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
