Enertis Applus+ provides module testing services for Colbún’s Diego de Almagro Sur solar PV plant in Chile

• The solar PV plant has an average annual energy generation capacity of 648 GWh, equivalent to the consumption of 110,000 households.

• Enertis Applus+ has inspected 3,850 bifacial PV modules to ensure their optimal operation. 

• Enertis Applus+ has been operating in South America since 2012 and has a track-record of 200 projects and 12 GW in testing services.

Enertis Applus+, a global consulting and engineering firm, leader in the renewable energy and storage solutions sector, has provided its technical inspection services to Colbún for its 230MW solar PV plant Diego de Almagro Sur, in Chile. The project, located in the Atacama region, one of the areas with the highest levels of solar radiation in the world, is located on a 330-hectare site and has an average annual energy generation capacity of 648 GWh, equivalent to the consumption of 110,000 households.

During the module testing service, an Enertis Applus+ technician was present on-site performing visual inspections and electroluminescence tests upon arrival of the photovoltaic modules at the plant, as well as nighttime electroluminescence to verify the integrity of the modules after their installation. These tests verify that the modules are in perfect condition following shipment and installation phases to guarantee their functionality during the life of the project. In total, 3,850 bifacial technology modules were inspected.

Enertis Applus+ also offers testing services with cutting-edge technologies such as large-scale electroluminescence and thermography, daytime electroluminescence, IV curves for bifacial modules, machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques for data analysis that enable the verification that the modules are operating correctly, along with the other main components and the electrical installation of solar PV plants.

Enertis Applus+ also has the PV Mobile Laboratory (PVML), a mobile unit designed to carry out on-site quality control test on PV modules. To date, the PVML has worked on 39 projects in Mexico, Central and South America analyzing more than 5 GW of PV modules. Launched in 2012, the PVML is available in Chile, North America, and Europe, it has an industrial patent and it provides advanced services that are in line with international standards, such as maximum power determination tests under standard measurement conditions, electroluminescence, electrical insulation, and thermography inspections.

As Ignacio Fernández, Head of Testing of the company points out, “Enertis Applus+ has been operating in South America since 2012, where it has a track-record of 200 projects and 12 GW in testing services. This makes us a reference company in the region, and we are proud to support large companies in the renewable energy sector, such as Colbún, with their commitment to ensure the quality of their solar photovoltaic assets.“

“The Diego de Almagro Sur project reaffirms our commitment to the renewable energy plan that the company has outlined for the next years. We hope that this solar PV plant, one of the five largest plants in the country, will contribute to the national energy mix, in line with the goal of transitioning towards an economy with lower emissions” says César Novoa, Head of the Diego de Almagro Sur Project.

The Diego de Almagro Sur Project is part of Colbún’s portfolio of renewable energy projects that are at an advanced stage of development for a total capacity of 1,800 MW. The company also has a project portfolio of 1,000 MW at an earlier stage of development.