Feasibility Studies for PV Self-supply in Chile
Overview
One of the main objectives of the project "Solar Energy for Electricity and Heat in Chile" is to identify economically viable market segments for the development of solar electric and thermal self-supply, with regard to generate replicable impacts in the regions under study. In the area of electrical self-supply, the project developed by the Ministry of Energy of Chile and supported by the GIZ GmbH has a portfolio of technical and economic pre-feasibility studies of photovoltaic systems developed for different size captive-use PV applications such as public buildings, chemistry industry, pulp and paper industry, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), agribusiness sector, agriculture and supermarkets.
Public Buildings
Spa Club Providencia
The Spa Club Providencia is a sports hall belonging to the Municipality of Providencia in Santiago de Chile. It is suitable for installing a PV power plant (to generate 34.65 kWp on the roof of the Spa, which will face to the north at an angle between 20 to 30 degrees).
►Feasibility study for a PV plant in the Spa Club Providencia, 2014 (Spanish)
Carport FV DAOM Providencia
This report presents the feasibility study of a photovoltaic carport which will generate enough electricity to meet the demand of 12 electric vehicles. The vehicles would be used during the day and charged overnight. The electricity generated during the day will be directly used by the building or to charge vehicle that have not been used; while at night, the vehicles will be charged using the electricity from the grid. The carport need an installed capacity of 15.6 kWp to meet the demand of the vehicle fleet, despite the fact that most of the electricity generated by the panels will be used by the building. The reason is that the electricity consumed by the building will serve as "offset” to the electricity to charge the vehicles.
►Feasibility study for the construction and design of a photovoltaic carport, 2014 (Spanish)
Cristo Vive Foundation - public institution
The Cristo Vive Foundation is a private non-profit organization created in 1990. The main objective of this institution is the social, economic and cultural promotion of low-income groups, providing the tools necessary for the personal development of these people.
This service of the foundation is currently provided in 5 different venues for job training.
This study aims to show the results of the analysis of technical and economic pre-feasibility of the installation of a photovoltaic system connected to the distribution generating electricity for the purpose of selfconsumption at the headquaters of the Foundation in the commune of Huechuraba in Santiago. for genera
►Technical and economic feasibility study of a PV-system for selfconsumption (Spanish)
Chemistry Industry
GIZ Chile and Gamma Ingenieros SA elaborated a technical and economic pre-feasibility study for the generation of photovoltaic solar energy in a chemical adhesives industry: HB Fuller SA. This industry is a regulated consumer by the distribution company "Chilectra" with a AT 4.3 tariff and a power contracted of 238 kW.
The daily load profiles and its annual projection, its electricity tariff, the availability of physical surfaces for the installation of PV panels and of space for the installation of the necessary elements were analyzed. Two options for self-generation were evaluated technically and economically: 100% self-consumption and NetBilling with connection to the Central Interconnected System (SIC).
The technical feasibility is positive and should only consider strengthening the structure of the house to withstand the weight of the panels. With regard to economic feasibility, the result for the return on investment is too long for the expectations of investors; 12.5 years (100% self-consumption) and 11.9 years (NetBilling).
►Feasibility studies for the installation of a PV plant in a chemistry industry, 2015 (Spanish)
Pulp and Paper industry
The consultant "TCH Ingenieria" developed a feasibility study for the installation of a photovoltaic solar system in the paper industry "Bio Bio", located in the municipality of San Pedro de la Paz, VIII region, commissioned by the project "Solar energy for generating electricity and heat", GIZ Chile. The focus of the assessment was to determine the viability of the structures to withstand the stresses imposed by the solar panels and identify whether some reinforcements are needed to comply with the current Chilean regulations for buildings.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Agua purificada San Sebastián
The pre-feasibility study shows that the implementation of a photovoltaic plant with connection to the grid and preference for self-consumption during daylight hours is technically and economically viable. A solar plant with a peak power of 18 KWp will produce daily 78 kWh/day (average annual value). This covers 54% of the total 24 hours consumption. The plant will be connected to the distribution system through a low voltage three-phase connection. The implementation of this PV plant requires an initial investment of approx. 30.5 million of chilean pesos. The results of the economic evaluation are a levelized cost of energy of 90 Chilean pesos/kWh and a pay-back period of nine years.
Laboratorio de inyección Diesel Canchaya
The implementation of a photovoltaic plant with a peak power of 3.8 kWp, connected to the grid in Arica, Chile, with preference for self-consumption during daylight hours in the SMEs "Laboratorio de inyección Diesel Canchaya" is technically and economically viable. This solar plant will produce 16.2 kWh/day (average annual value); the 45% will be used for self-consumption and the 55% left will be fed into the grid. The plant will be connected to the distribution system through low voltage three-phase connection. The implementation of the plant requires an initial investment of approx. 6.9 million chillean pesos. The results of the economic evaluation are a levelized cost of energy of 100 Chilean pesos/kWh, and a pay-back period of 12 years.
Agribusiness sector
Exportadora Subsole, Isla de Maipo
The result of the study shows that due to significant consumption in the Exportadora Subsole, the energy produced by a PV system of 100 kWp will be totally consumed, thus no surpluses are generated to inject to the grid. Additionally, this project will reduce the carbon footprint by approximately 58 tons CO2eq/year, and generate savings of approximately 9.1 million Chilean pesos.
►Feasibility study for a 100 kWp PV system in the Exportadora Subsole, 2015 (Spanish)
Viña Valle Secreto, Valle de Cachapoal
The study recommends a 48 kWp PV plant, taking into account the expected increase in the consumption. For an investment of 900.000 CLP/kWp and a IRR of 10.84%, the payback will be 11-12 years.
►Feasibility study for the installation of a PV Plant in the Viña Valle Secreto, 2015(Spanish)
Agriculture
The implementation of photovoltaic pumping systems in order to optimize the availability of water resources in strawberries and plums in Chile was evaluated. The systems were calculated to draw water from a well or river, raise it to a storage tank and irrigate the acreage.
►Feasibility study for a PV plant to irrigate a crop of plums, 2014 (Spanish)
►Feasibility study for a PV plant to irrigate a crop of strowberries in the V Region, 2013 (Spanish)
►Feasibility study for a PV plant to irrigate a crop of strowberries in the VII Region, 2012 (Spanish)
Supermarket
This report presents the feasibility study of a photovoltaic plant mounted on the roof of the supermarket Cencosur. Four future scenarios were analyzed:
1. Cencosud is the owner of the project, and it is supposed that from 2019 the price of the energy will decrease a 1% annually.
2. An ESCO makes the investment, and it is supposed that from 2019 the price of the energy will decrease a 1% annually.
3. Cencosud is the owner of the project, and it is supposed that from 2019 there is no variation in the price of the energy
4. An ESCO makes the investment, and it is supposed that from 2019 there is no variation in the price of the energy
►Feasibility study for a PV plant in the Supermarket Cencosud Calama, 2015 (Spanish)
Education
Colegio Alemán, Santiago de Chile
This feasibility study was done for the private school Colegio Alemán in Santiago de Chile. Two scenarios for roof-top mounted solar panels were analyzed:
1. A plant with 10,5 kWp
2. A plant with 100 kWp
►Feasibility study for a PV plant (10,5 kWp) in the Colegio Alemán Santiago de Chile, 2016 (Spanish)
►Feasibility study for a PV plant (100 kWp) in the Colegio Alemán Santiago de Chile, 2016 (Spanish)
