Repsol already planning expansion as production starts at oil major's biggest wind farm in Chile

Repsol has started producing electricity at its largest onshore wind farm in Chile as the Spanish oil major announced that it plans to start a second phase of development that will more than double capacity to over 800MW.

The Antofagasta Phase 1 wind farm so far has a total installed capacity of 364MW and is the result of an investment of nearly €400m ($456m), Repsol said. It will enter into full commercial operation over the coming weeks, after 19 months of construction time.

Repsol confirmed that it will go ahead with Phase 2, which will add approximately 450MW to its portfolio of renewable assets.

The Antofagasta wind farm investments are wholly owned by Repsol, marking a step away from the joint venture that Repsol formed with Spanish utility Iberdrola to enter the Chilean renewables sector.

The joint venture company, called Repsol Ibereolica Renovables Chile, operates the 188MW Cabo Leones III and 166MW Atacama wind farms, both located in the province of Huasco in the Atacama Desert. The two projects entered into commercial operation in 2020 and 2023, respectively.

Chile is attractive for renewables investment as the country lacks domestic fossil fuel resources and has policy initiatives to decarbonise its world-leading copper and lithium mining industries.

Repsol has made renewable power generation a key part of its energy transition strategy, especially in Spain. The company states that it has almost 4GW of renewable energy in operation, about two-thirds of which is in its home country.

Last month, Schroders Greencoat, the specialist renewables manager of Schroders Capital, acquired a 49% stake in eight of Repsol's Spanish wind farms (300MW) and two solar plants (100MW).