EDF Renewables, a subsidiary of French energy multinational EDF, announced on December 16 that it has been awarded the tender for a PV-plus-storage project in northern Peru. The project will comprise 100MW of PV generation capacity and 100MWh of energy storage capacity. It will be connected to a microgrid system that is supplying electricity to Iquitos, a relatively isolated city within the Peruvian Amazonia.
EDF Renewables will be responsible for the design, construction, and operation of the PV-plus-storage project. According to the company’s own analysis, Iquitos is currently the world’s largest city that is not connected to a regional or national grid. The city’s microgrid is currently delivering power to around 550,000 local inhabitants.
EDF Renewables has entered into a 20-year PPA with Electro Oriente, a local utility company. Under the contract, the project will start supplying electricity to Iquitos in 2026 at a price that is lower than the price of the electricity produced by diesel generation units.
EDF Renewables pointed out that Iquitos is currently relying wholly on diesel generators. With the PV-plus-storage project, the city will be able to reduce its diesel-fired generation by 40-50% and thereby cut down CO2 emissions by 2 million tons.
The gross generation capacity that EDF Renewables has for PV and wind power in South America amounts to around 3.4GW, according to the company’s own website. This figure covers projects in operation, construction, and development. At the same time, its parent company is retiring its coal-fired generation assets in the region.