MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Alternative energy: 12 wind turbines for Valparaiso

Plans are underway in Chile to invest 47 million US dollars in a wind park at Punta Curaumilla in Region V's Laguna Verde. The project comprises of 12 wind turbines with a 2MW capacity each and seeks to light up 10,000 homes and businesses in the Valparaíso region.

The 24 MW of electricity it produces will be directed into an energy grid of the Chilean Interconnected Central System (SIC) via a substation in central Laguna Verde, and then distributed throughout the region. "Playa Ancha and Laguna Verde have good wind conditions, from which we should be able to collect an important energy supply for the area" said Claudio Matta, specialist from the Technical University Federico Santa María, in Viña del Mar. "With 24,000 KW of electricity it is possible to supply around 10,000 homes with an average daily consumption of 3KW, such as towns like Limache or La Ligua. This is a significant amount for the Valparaíso region." Still, even though this renewable source provides 'clean' energy, it is not free from shortcomings. Drawbacks such as noise pollution and a potentially high wildlife death toll make opposition to the project almost inevitable. "There are some risks with regard to the death of sea birds and wildlife, as well as the continuous noise produced by the generators," Matta said. "The longer the blades of the turbines are, the higher the probability of an adverse impact. Also, this area has been settled by fishermen, tourists and townspeople. We hope that the National Commission for the Environment (CONAMA) will consider these aspects in their environmental impact study." The Santiago Times