Enel becomes Peru’s main renewable player after commissioning country’s largest wind farm

Enel is now Peru’s leading renewable energy generator with around 1.1 GW of installed capacity following the commissioning of Wayra I which, with more than 132 MW, is Peru’s largest wind farm currently in full service. Wayra I, which is operated by Enel’s local renewables subsidiary Enel Green Power Peru (“EGPP”) and located in Marcona, in the Ica Region, is also the Group’s first Peruvian wind farm. Enel invested more than 165 million US dollars in the construction of this wind facility, in line with the investment outlined in its Strategic Plan.

"With the entry into service of Wayra I, which follows the commissioning of solar plant Rubì, Enel Green Power has now completed and connected to the grid around 94% of the capacity awarded in Peru’s fourth public renewables tender, delivering on schedule on the committed targets and becoming a sector leader in the country. This is just a first step for scaling up renewables in Peru,” said Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Enel’s Global Renewable Energies Division Enel Green Power (EGP).

The new wind farm, which was built in around one year and comprises 42 wind turbines of over 3 MW each, is expected to produce approximately 600 GWh per year, enough to avoid the annual emission of over 285,000 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere. The energy generated by the wind farm is being delivered to the Peruvian transmission grid (SEIN) through the Poroma substation. The project is supported by a 20-year energy supply contract with Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.

From January 2018 to date, EGP has connected six renewable plants to grids around the world, including Wayra I, exceeding 1000 MW of installed capacity.

EGP Peru has implemented several initiatives to support local businesses and communities, including environmental monitoring by local associations and institutions. The construction site of Wayra I applied Enel’s Sustainable Construction Site model, which includes both the measuring of the project’s socio-environmental impact and actions aimed at incorporating the rational use of resources, such as through a waste recycling project repurposing the construction site’s wooden pallets to produce eco-friendly furniture.

The Wayra I construction site used a CO₂-free nanotechnology wastewater treatment plant powered by a small wind turbine with a battery storage system. This innovative plant, one-of-a-kind across the Enel Group, filters wastewater through a series of ceramic membranes with BioGill-patented nanotechnology, which allows bacteria to purify water in a natural way. This technology allowed EGPP to reuse approximately 350 cubic metres of water during the wind farm’s construction works hence saving water while avoiding the emission of around 1.64 tonnes of CO₂ by reducing the use of motor vehicles for mud removal.

Enel is present in the Peruvian renewables sector through EGPP, which operates the 180 MW Rubí solar plant in Moquegua as well as Wayra I and through Enel Generación Perú, which operates seven hydro plants for a total capacity of approximately 790 MW. Enel is the only player operating renewable plants of three different technologies in Peru: hydro, solar and wind power.

The Enel Group operates 2.3 GW of total installed capacity in Peru through Enel Generación Piura as well as EGPP and Enel Generación Perú. The Group also operates in the country’s distribution sector through Enel Distribución Perú, which serves around 1.4 million customers in Lima Region.