Canadian Solar Inc. announced that its energy storage subsidiary, e-STORAGE—part of majority-owned CSI Solar Co., Ltd.—has signed a contract with Colbún, one of Chile’s leading power generation companies. Under the agreement, e-STORAGE will supply a 228 MW/912 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) for the Diego de Almagro Sur project in Chile’s Atacama Region. This project marks a significant advancement in energy storage deployment in Latin America and reinforces Canadian Solar’s commitment to supporting clean energy transitions worldwide.
The Diego de Almagro Sur BESS Project will utilize e-STORAGE’s SolBank 3.0, a proprietary battery energy storage solution, featuring lithium-iron-phosphate battery technology, an active balancing battery management system, and an advanced liquid cooling system for superior performance and safety. e-STORAGE will also provide Colbún with a fully integrated solution that includes local project management, commissioning services, and long-term maintenance.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2025, generating up to 150 jobs at peak activity. The project is expected to reach commercial operation in December 2026. With enough capacity to cover the equivalent electricity consumption of 55,480 households, this storage system will be co-located with the 232 MW Diego de Almagro Sur Solar Park, which Colbún has been operating since 2022. The solar park currently includes an existing battery storage system with a capacity of 8 MW/32 MWh of storage.
Beyond providing energy shifting and capacity contribution, the Diego de Almagro Sur BESS Project will deliver advanced grid services—such as grid forming, black start, and inertia support—that are essential for integrating more renewables into Chile’s national grid. By creating local jobs and leveraging local supply chains, the project is expected to generate a positive socio-economic impact in the Atacama Region. In addition, SolBank 3.0’s high efficiency and safety profile help minimize environmental footprint, supporting Colbún’s sustainability goals while ensuring long-term system performance.
José Ignacio Escobar, CEO of Colbún, commented, “This agreement with e-STORAGE positions us as one of the leading companies in Chile’s energy storage market, ensuring a continuous and secure supply of renewable energy for our industrial clients. This project, together with the other battery systems we are developing in the north of the country, will complement the storage capacity we already have through our reservoirs in the south. It is aligned with our vision of driving a responsible energy transition, where renewable energy must be not only sustainable, but also secure, continuous, and competitive.”
Colin Parkin, President of e-STORAGE, attached, “We are proud to support Colbún’s bold vision of advancing Chile’s energy transition through large-scale storage. The Diego de Almagro Sur BESS Project represents a significant milestone for e-STORAGE’s expansion in Latin America and reinforces our role as a key enabler of Chile’s clean energy transformation. This project showcases the critical role of BESS in enabling greater grid reliability, optimizing renewable energy usage, and supporting industrial demand with a secure and continuous supply. With our SolBank 3.0 technology, we are not only delivering cutting-edge performance and safety, but also reinforcing our long-term commitment to Latin America’s clean energy future.”
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