In the Valparaíso region, Colbún has just taken a firm step towards energy transition: the company inaugurated the first green hydrogen (H2V) plant installed in a power plant in Chile. The new unit is located at the Nehuenco thermoelectric complex in Quillota, and is intended to replace the gray hydrogen that was used in the generator cooling system.
Operation of the green hydrogen plant
The plant operates completely off-grid and is powered by solar energy. solar energy from a 100 kW photovoltaic park. The system includes batteries, an electrolyzer and storage tanks that allow the production and use of hydrogen without fossil fuel emissions. It is estimated that this installation will avoid up to 15 tons of CO₂ annually.
This initiative is part of a broader modernization plan that Colbún is implementing at Nehuenco, which has been in operation since the early 2000s. Improvements include the installation of a reverse osmosis reverse osmosis plant plant to optimize water use, a maintenance program to increase efficiency, and the approval of an Environmental Impact Statement that contemplates investments of close to US$18 million.
Public and private sector voices
During the inauguration, Colbún’s CEO, José Ignacio Escobar, stressed that technological diversification is key for a sustainable and resilient energy system. Meanwhile, the regional government and the Ministry of Energy valued the role of this project in the framework of the National Green Hydrogen Plan 2023-2030.
This development is in addition to other Colbún initiatives in Latin America, such as the green hydrogen plant inaugurated in 2024 in Peru, which completely replaced the use of gray hydrogen. use of gray hydrogen in a thermoelectric in a thermoelectric power plant. The strategy aims to consolidate the company’s presence in the move towards a low-carbon energy matrix with less environmental impact.
Source and photo: Colbún
