ACCIONA Energía has announced the construction of a 1GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at Malgarida photovoltaic complex (238MWp), in the Atacama Desert in Chile. With commissioning expected in early 2027, it will be one of the largest battery storage projects in Latin America.

The battery will have a capacity of 200MW/1GWh, meaning it can deliver 200MW of energy for up to five hours. This will allow the photovoltaic energy produced at Malgarida to be stored, managed, and deployed across different time periods, ensuring that the clean energy generated by the plant during the day can also be dispatched at night. In this way, the project will help reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut the associated CO₂ emissions.

The Malgarida battery will allow ACCIONA Energía to help optimize renewable energy management in Chile, where it has a total installed capacity of 922MW across three wind farms –Punta Palmeras (45MW), San Gabriel (183MW), and Tolpán Sur (84MW)— and five photovoltaic plants: El Romero (246MWp), Usya (64MWp), Almeyda (62MWp), and Malgarida (238MWp).

The company is also developing a pipeline of three battery energy storage projects totaling 1.5GWh, linked to its photovoltaic plants in Chile. By leveraging the significant cost reduction and strong potential of storage technology, ACCIONA Energía will help maximize the country’s abundant daytime solar generation and match it with energy demand.

Utility-scale BESS systems play a critical role in facilitating renewable integration, enabling the dispatch of clean energy during peak demand, and strengthening the reliability of the national power supply.