German energy firm RWE has received environmental approval for its the Los Durmientes solar and storage plant. The project, located in the Antofagasta region of Chile, has a 243.6 MW solar farm co-located with 255.4 MW / 1,277 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS).

The Environmental Assessment Commission’s approval for RWE’s solar plus storage project is a critical milestone for the $300 million project, allowing it to move forward after the permitting process began in January 2024. Construction is slated to begin in 2026, with the plant expected to achieve commercial operation in 2027.

The five-hour duration BESS is designed to provide stability and flexibility to Chile’s national grid. It will store vast amounts of solar energy generated in the Atacama Desert during the day and dispatch it during evening peak demand periods, a critical function for integrating renewables. The facility will connect to the grid via a 30 kilometer, 220 kV transmission line.

Los Durmientes marks RWE’s entry into the Chilean market and is part of a larger clean energy pipeline in the country. The company is also developing another major solar-plus-storage project, the Pita Solar Park, which is planned to include a 185 MW solar farm and a 185 MW / 925 MWh battery system.