At the inauguration ceremony for Chile's largest operational solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, Chilean Minister of Energy Jorge Bunster announced a public online information platform to provide solar radiation values for developers.

Minister Bunster also noted that over 900 MW of PV projects in the nation have received environmental approval, and promised additional initiatives to support the development of more solar capacity in coming months. The 1.4 MW PV plant in the town of La Huayca in northern Chile has been supplying electricity since the end of August 2012.

"We are a country rich in such resources to have wind, water, sun, heat from the earth, and a great coast biomass throughout our country, and their incorporation into the energy mix will be viable to the extent that we know more precisely its availability, and that our electrical system can be prepared for these technologies," said Minister Bunster.

The La Huayca plant is owned and operated by Saferay GmbH (Berlin, Germany) and Seltec Ingeniería Ltda. (Iquique, Chile). The companies intend to expand the plant to 9 MW in a second phase during the second half of 2012 and 25 MW in a third phase, with final commissioning planned for late 2013.