A total of 58 potential solar projects, with a combined capacity of 2,834 MW were submitted in the first renewable energy tender of the RenovAr program in Argentina, according to a statement from the Ministry of Energy.
One gigawatt of renewable energy projects is being auctioned within the tender, of which 300 MW is assigned to PV projects. The PV projects that were submitted within the auction are located across 12 provinces: Salta, San Jua, Jujuy, Catamarca, San Luis, Mendoza, Neuquén, La Pampa, Córdoba, Buenos Aires and Chaco.
Altogether, 123 offers of different technology and energy generation methods, with a total capacity of 6,366 MW, were submitted in the auction, with the results due in October. The technology that had the most capacity submitted was wind, across 49 projects, which combined amounted to 3,468 MW. Aside from solar, the following quotas were given within the auction: wind 600 MW, biomass 65 MW, biogas 15 MW and small hydro 20 MW.
With 1,000 MW of renewable energy planned for development from this tender, the Argentine government expects between US$1.5bn and US$2bn of direct investment.
The technical qualification of the offers is scheduled for 3 October, while the opening of economic offers will take place on 7 October, before the tender will be resolved on 12 October and the projects will be awarded.
With this auction, Argentina is seeking to increase the share that renewable energy has in its electricity mix, which is currently very small. The capacity of installed PV in the country is currently around 15 MW.
New Argentine legislation set a target of renewable energy making up 8% of the countrys energy mix by 2017.
This article was translated by Sam Pothecary. To view the original on the pv magazine Latin Americas website, please click here.
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