China firm eyeing further Venezuela solar growth

Chinese manufacturer Yingli has supplied 1.1MW of panels for Venezuela's first grid-connected solar project – and said it is looking to do more business in the country.

The hybrid PV-diesel plant was built by Venezuelan company Consorcio Energias Limpias Alternativas Venezolanas (CELAV) and is located in Los Roques department.

Expected to generate more than 1,400MWh/y – enough to supply more than 400 typical Venezuelan homes – the facility is the first of its kind in the country.

Other plants exist but they are smaller, around 25kW, and off-grid, Yingli said in a release.

"We are honored to grow Yingli's presence in the Venezuelan solar market by supplying the country's largest project, and we look forward to expanding our footprint in the country," Yingli CEO Liansheng Miao said.

"There is significant potential for the development of more hybrid solar-diesel power plants in Venezuela, as they are an effective strategy for both increasing renewable energy production and ensuring reliable access to electricity in remote areas of the country," he added.

"This new hybrid solar-diesel power plant is an ideal energy solution for Venezuela because it can reduce diesel-related logistics costs by at least 50%," CELAV project developer Francisco Garcia, said.

The Los Roques plant was brought online in May.

Yingli said in March it intends to expand operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.