ContourGlobal brings online Latin America’s longest-duration utility-scale battery system in Chile with 6.5-hour discharge capability

ContourGlobal commenced commercial operations of the battery energy storage system at the Víctor Jara facility in Tarapacá, pairing a 231 MWp solar photovoltaic plant with a 1.3 GWh battery system capable of delivering 200 MW of continuous power output for 6.5 hours. The project represents the longest-duration utility-scale battery storage system currently operating in Latin America and ranks among the longest globally. The inauguration took place with attendance from James Lee Stancampiano, ContourGlobal’s general manager for South America, and Chilean Energy Minister Ximena Rincón González.

The Víctor Jara facility operates under an innovative 15-year nighttime-only power purchase agreement with Copec EMOAC, one of Chile’s leading renewable energy suppliers. The commercial structure enables ContourGlobal’s “Sun at Night” business model, capturing solar generation during low-demand periods and dispatching stored energy during evening and nighttime demand peaks. The arrangement provides enhanced grid stability and flexibility to Chile’s electrical system while optimizing solar generation utilization throughout daily cycles.

ContourGlobal now operates a complete 850 MW portfolio across solar and storage in Chile following the Víctor Jara commissioning. The company’s Chilean assets include the Víctor Jara project with 231 MWp solar and 1.3 GWh storage, plus the Quillagua project in Antofagasta with 221 MWp solar and 1.2 GWh storage capacity. ContourGlobal acquired both projects from Grenergy in late 2024, marking the KKR-backed company’s entry into the Chilean market. Combined, the facilities will generate approximately 1,300 GWh annually.

Chile has established itself as a global testing ground for the transition from intermittent renewable generation to firm, dispatchable clean power. The country combined rapid solar deployment with favorable conditions for large-scale storage development, now leading Latin America’s storage investment market. Recent analysis from IRENA’s “24/7 Renewables: The Economics of Firm Solar and Wind” report demonstrates that solar generation paired with battery storage can deliver firm clean electricity at costs competitive with new fossil fuel generation in high-resource regions. Chile targets 2 GW of storage capacity by 2030 and 6 GW by 2050 as part of its energy transition objectives.