Latin America's top 8 renewable energy projects

The eight largest Latin American renewable energy projects by capex in BNamericas' database will require combined investments of US$47.5bn. 

Five of them have a large green hydrogen component – the biggest being the H2 Magallanes development in Chile, which is expected to boast production capacity of 800,000t/y of the clean fuel.

BNamericas takes a look at the projects in Brazil, Argentina and Chile. 

1. H2 Magallanes project (Chile)

H2 Magallanes is a green hydrogen project from a wind source to produce green ammonia. It will be located in San Gregorio, Magallanes region. The construction phase could require up to 5,000 workers, while operation could require 1,000.

Capex: US$15bn

Project capacity: Green hydrogen 800,000t/y, onshore wind 10,000MW

Stage: Feasibility studies

Due online: March 2028

Owner: TotalEnergies Chile

2. Pampas project (Argentina)

Consists of the construction of a green hydrogen plant near Sierra Grande, Río Negro province.

The initiative also involves the construction of a wind farm that will feed the hydrogen plant and an export port near the town of Punta Colorada.

A solar plant would also be required, either in Salta or Jujuy, to compensate for the intermittent wind in Río Negro. The initiative will allow the creation of more than 15,000 direct jobs and be developed in three stages.

Capex: US$8.4bn

Project capacity: Onshore wind 2,000MW, photovoltaic 500MW, green hydrogen 2.2Mt/y

Current stage: Prefeasibility studies

Due online: December 2030

Owner: Fortescue Future Industries

3. Ceará Green Hydrogen Hub (Brazil)

The initiative entails the construction of a green hydrogen and offshore wind complex. The project will create over 2,000 jobs in the construction phase and 600 for the running of sustainable energy production. The project has been earmarked for Pecém port, Ceará state.

Capex: US$6.95bn

Project capacity: Green hydrogen 1.3Mt/y, offshore wind 1,210MW

Current stage: Feasibility studies

Due online: December 2030

Owner: Governo do Estado do Ceará

4. Gente Grande (Argentina)

The project involves the production of green hydrogen through 300 wind turbines with special characteristics due to the wind conditions in Tierra del Fuego. It involves the construction of a wind farm, a desalination plant, a green hydrogen and ammonia production plant and port facilities that enable export.

Capex: US$6bn

Project capacity: Green hydrogen 1.5Mt/y, onshore wind 3,200MW

Current stage: Early design and engineering

Due online: December 2028

Owner: TEG Chile, Haura Energy

5. Ventos do Mar Potiguar wind complex (Brazil)

The project entails the construction of five wind farms, made up of 207 wind turbines, to be located between the cities of Pedra Grande and São Bento do Norte, 8km from the coast in Brazil's northeastern Rio Grande do Norte state. The complex will generate 5,000 jobs in its execution phase. 

Capex: US$3.43bn

Project capacity: Offshore wind 2484 MW

Current stage: Environmental and social evaluation

Due online: December 2029

Developer: Internacional Energias Renováveis

6. HNH Energy (Chile)

The plant will commercially produce green ammonia and be powered by onshore wind energy and an electrolyzer in an area of 22,000ha in Magallanes region. The 100% renewable project will avoid the emission of 2.3Mt/y of CO2. The zero-carbon fuel, produced by combining green hydrogen and nitrogen in the air through the Haber-Bosch process, will be used to produce fertilizers, power ships or possibly as a replacement for coal at existing power plants.

Capex: US$3bn

Project capacity: Green hydrogen 850,000t/y, onshore wind 2000MW

Stage: Feasibility studies

Due online: December 2028

Developer: Consorcio Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners-Austria Energy-Oekowind

7. Camocim offshore wind farm (Brazil)

The wind farm is made up of 100 turbines distributed over 600km2 in the municipality of Camocim, Ceará state.

Capex: US$2.57bn

Project capacity: Offshore wind 1,200MW

Stage: Environmental and social evaluation

Due online: January 2024

Owner: BI Energia

8. La Deseada wind farm (Argentina)

The plant near the town of Pico Truncado, in Santa Cruz province, will have 450 wind turbines and produce 3,421MWh.

Capex: US$2.2bn

Project capacity: transmission lines 19km, transmission lines 500kV, onshore wind 900MW

Stage: Awaiting construction decision

Owner: Eólica Pico Truncado