Photovoltaic Solar Park with Lithium Batteries

Photovoltaic technology uses solar radiation to generate electricity directly.
Installed photovoltaic panels in photovoltaic farms include a semiconductor sheet. The energy carried by solar rays, excite the semiconductor electrons until a current flows in the modules.
The advantage of photovoltaic technology is that it allows the generation of clean electricity possible, both on a large scale (for mass consumption) and on a small scale for rural electrification in remote locations.
A common photovoltaic plant only generates energy during the day, but if properly designed and combined, for example, with a lithium battery it can store this energy and use provide it when needed. This way, the PV plant can provide electricity 24/7, making it attractive for mining customers who need power day and night.

The Atacama Desert is certainly not the largest in the world; nevertheless, it has the best conditions in the world for generating electricity through solar energy and photovoltaic technology: The average annual radiation is 2,500 kWh/m2 (GHI), with few days of rain (less than 2 mm per year) and approximately 4,000 hours of sunshine per year.
The latter has meant that in recent years photovoltaic plants’ installed capacity has dynamically increased: in 2013, there were less than 100MWp, whereas, in 2020, there are more than 2,700MWp of generation capacity with photovoltaic systems installed in the Atacama and with more projects still under development.
Another reason for rapid photovoltaic project growth in recent years, is the drop in technology and lithium battery prices. This combination makes investments in photovoltaic and lithium battery projects ever more attractive for business. Chile´s first projects are already underway.
The combination of a photovoltaic plant with an energy storage system provides many advantages for the electricity grid. During the day, clean electricity is generated by photovoltaic panels. In periods of low demand, the generated energy is stored.