Total Eren plans 10GW wind farm to power green hydrogen and ammonia complex in Chile

Total Eren has begun studies on a project which, if it goes ahead, would see up to 10GW of wind used to create green hydrogen and ammonia in southern Chile.

The H2 Magallanes facility would be located on land secured by the company on the island of Tierra del Fuego in Chile’s southernmost Magallanes region. As well as the giant wind farm, the project would consist of a hydrogen production plant with up to 8GW of electrolysis capacity, a desalination plant, an ammonia plant, and port facilities to transport green hydrogen to markets around the world.

Total Eren hopes to begin construction on the project in 2025, with hydrogen production starting by 2027.

Once operating at capacity, the facility would be able to produce 800,000 tonnes of hydrogen a year and ship 4.4 million tonnes of ammonia, averting the emissions of around 5 million tonnes of CO2, the company said.

Chile is looking to harness its potential for renewable energy, especially solar and wind power, to become one of the world’s largest exporters of green hydrogen, which is touted to become a key fuel over the coming decades. The Magallanes region is particularly suitable as it has some of the world’s best onshore wind conditions as well as access to the sea.

“I am eager to begin construction to contribute to Chile’s ambition of becoming a top destination for green hydrogen investment in Latin America and meet the needs of our customers worldwide,” said Fabienne Demol, Total Eren’s global head of business development.

The company has signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Magallanes, based in Punta Arenas, focusing on environmental and social studies, education, and research and development relating to the project.

Total Eren has around 3.5GW of renewables capacity in operation or under construction worldwide. In October, it announced plans for a 1GW wind farm combined with a 500MW/1GWh energy storage system in Kazakhstan.