NEWS

Recently, the Chilean company Andes Energy announced the proposed creation of a wind farm that would generate 40 MW and would have an investment of 80 million dollars in the region of Curaumilla, which should begin operations in the second half of the next year.

Andes Energy consists of: Jose Ingnacio Escobar, Juan Ignacio Walter, Manuel Aravena, and Francisco Vera, whose long-term objective is to operate at least 300 MW. The entrepreneurs hope that this wind project in Curuamilla will be the most important in the central zone.

They assure that their reasons for exploring this market of renewable energies go further than the environment, even though currently the cost of installation is lower. But also, the new electric law asks for a 5% of renewable energy until 2010, and even for long-term, it will increase to 10%, and this will affect the prices.

Meanwhile, all of the renewable energy sources costs are still cheap. However, Andes Energy is planning something with a Spanish group, an American one and an Irish one, so the project becomes socio-strategic. Their idea is to look for operators that, in a way, are buying projects that have an interesting level of advance. The Chilean company will provide the lands.

“We’re close to consuming urban centers that guarantee us immediate demand and we have transmission lines beside us”, said Escobar, adding that there are already big potential costumers that have asked them for energy. “All of this makes the renewable energies better, who are known for its high prices and are supported for subsides world widely, which Chile does not have”, said Walker.

With all of these facts, they expect a return close to 15% / year for a project of around 20 towers, “We are not here for a spectacular return. This has a strong impact in our personal return”, said Walker. “Let’s look at what has happened in the world. The big companies that handle renewable generating projects were tiny recently, and today they handle projects in the entire world”.

Editor: Angel Bravo.

Source (In Spanish):
http://beta.americaeconomia.com/energia/viento-de-cambio-3.html

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