MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Aluminum plant to expand wind farm in Argentine Patagonia

The new equipment will reduce the generation of greenhouse gases by approximately 150,000 tons of CO2 per year

The traditional Argentine aluminum manufacturer Aluar has announced plans to invest US$ 130 million to expand its wind farm near Puerto Madryn, in the Argentine Patagonia province of Chubut. The new equipment is expected to be fully operational by December 2023.

The new stage of the wind farm, which is located 20 kilometers away from Madryn, will have 18 wind turbines of 4.5 MW nominal power. The works will be carried out by Infa S.A.

This fourth stage will add 81 MW of power to the current renewable energy production of the Wind Farm that supplies the Primary Aluminum Production Plant, anticipating and exceeding the requirements of the National Promotion Regime for the use of Renewable Sources by 2025.

The new development will allow the company to move forward with reconverting its energy matrix beyond the provisions of the promotion regime agreed upon with the Secretariat.

Aluar's Wind Farm currently has 45 wind turbines in operation with a total power of 165 MW. The electricity to be produced with the new equipment will reduce the generation of greenhouse gases by approximately 150,000 tons of CO2 per year, it was explained.

The company signed a letter of intent with the national government in October last for the provision of electricity supply to enable the company to reactivate and develop the primary aluminum value chain in a sustainable and long-term manner.

The development project with an export profile and import substitution will allow an increase of 106,000 tons in its production and an increase of US$ 250 million in exports, through investments in the development of different product segments.

(Source: Télam)