Overview
The Hornitos Hydroelectric Project consisted of a run-of river power plant that utilizes the swift-flowing waters of the Aconcagua River in a small valley in the Andes, approximately 100 kilometers northeast of Santiago, Chile. The project used well-proven technologies for run-of river power generation, and has been developed by the project operator Hidroeléctrica Guardia Vieja in cascade with three existing plants downstream, which have been successfully operated for years. The power plant’s 55-megawatt capacity used renewable energy to displace thermal power generation by coal and natural gas in Chile’s Central Interconnected System, and generated annual average emission reductions of 110,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Benefits
Local environmental benefits:
- The project contributed with clean energy to the Central Interconnected System of Chile, displacing thermal generation
- The project enabled reforestation of 2.65 hectares with native trees
Socio-economic benefits:
- The project allowed the 5th Region to exploit its significant economic potential
- The project supported job creation during the construction period (up to 1,200 jobs) and also during the operation (15 jobs)
- The project enabled economic activity during the construction period and also during all of its lifetime
Capacity building:
- Extensive pre-negotiations consultations were carried out
- A post-negotiation workshop was organized to communicate the lessons learned from the project design and the implementation
Technology transfer:
- Introduction and demonstration of environmentally-friendly power production techniques for the 5th Region
- Demonstration that ERs from renewable energy helped earn additional income and the introduction of CDM know-how raised environmental awareness