AGENDA OF THE Renewable Energy Congress
RENMAD CHILE AGENDA 2024
HOST
co-host
DAY 1 - PLENARY SESSION
SECTION 1: ENERGY STORAGE AND green hydrogen regulations
National expectations and ambitions for green hydrogen and energy storage
The great renewable energy resource advantages that Chile possess have led to 45% of the country’s energy coming from renewable sources, (aka non-conventional renewable resources or ERNC) by 2023. This percentage is expected to reach 70% by 2030.
It is evident that both the production of renewable H2 and the deployment of energy storage have an essential role in the search for a greater deploy- ment of the renewable mix. In this session we analyze how to overcome the challenges that arise to reach this ambitious goal.
What can we expect to happen in 2024 and 2025 in green H2 and energy storage in Chile? Get a detailed analysis of regulation, milestones and projects
• Study the Chilean national hydrogen strategy, which aspires to produce the cheapest renewable H2 on the planet at US$1.5/kg by 2030, and understand the steps to follow to achieve it
• Consider the Chilean government’s plans to create incentives that boost investment in energy storage to meet objectives
• Analyze the new electric energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) law and how it affects investment in the sector
• Understand the role of the Chilean national and regional government s in advancing regulation for renewable H2 and energy storage
• Examine the Chilean regional growth roadmap within the international context, considering the impact of the IRA and the European plans
Project permitting in Chile: opportunities, obstacles, delays
Both renewable hydrogen and energy storage are experiencing tremen- dous growth in Chile. Some details regarding the permitting processes of projects are still pending. Therefore, there is a lack of certainty on how and when a pipeline of solid projects will be established.
In this session, leading developers with ample permitting experience analyze the challenges that currently exist in the sector and explain how they are overcoming them in order to secure success for their projects.
• Identify the main obstacles to permit your green H2/storage project and learn how leading companies are working to overcome them
• Time management – hear expert opinion on processing delays and learn how to minimize knock-on risks to your project
• Hear best practice to overcome painful permitting delays with grid con- nection to request and secure interconnection for your project quickly and reliably
• Analyze real cases of companies with fully permitted projects in record time and apply the lessons learned to your plant
Regional project development opportunities in Chile
The regions of Chile represent immense opportunities for energy storage projects and renewable H2, thanks to their solar and wind resources. Antofagasta, Atacama and Coquimbo for example are ideal for solar energy projects and renewable hydrogen production. The Magallanes region is suitable for wind projects and H2 and the Metropolitan and Valparaíso Region possess high demand for energy storage solutions due to their high percentage of renewable energy consumption. In this session we analyze in depth the opportunities for the development of storage and hydrogen projects in the regions of Chile.
• Antofagasta and the Norte Grande – Examine how the use of renewable energy resources paired with H2 production can go a long way to decar- bonize the mining industry
• Biobío – Understand the role that storage and H2 play in the decarboni- zation of the refining industry
• Magallanes – Analyze the opportunity to garner large amounts of renewable H2 to produce synthetic fuels for export
• Central area – Study the feasibility of building H2 hubs to supply the main consumption area and consider the role of energy storage in balancing the grid
SECTION 2: FINANCING OF GREEN HYDROGEN AND ENERGY STORAGE PROJECTS
Energy storage projects and green hydrogen financing in Chile
In order to achieve the energy development goals set by the Chilean govern- ment by 2030, it is necessary that both public and private financing grow drastically in the next 2-6 years. Successfully financing a project implies esta- blishing a market with specific regulation and interesting return on invest- ment (ROI) for investors.
• Discover how to access public financing and incentives for your renewa- ble generation, storage and hydrogen project
• Learn how to design bankable projects to make them financially attractive to private institutions currently investing in green hydrogen and energy storage
• Find out how financial institutions and banks analyze the commercial and technological risks of renewable H2 and storage; and learn how to mitiga- te them
• Consider the state-of-the-art of investment and financing structures that investors are applying to renewable H2 and energy storage projects
SECTION 3: PROJECT ANALYSIS
Creating a sustainable path: The importance of fair transition and ESG
ESG criteria have become increasingly important in the industry as they have a direct impact on project permitting and financing.
When considering investing in a project, one of the key factors to consider in Chile is its economic and social impact on the local community. It is absolutely crucial that these projects support the growth of the community by providing professional training, job opportunities, and promoting local industry to reduce the likelihood resistance from the local community.
• Learn how your renewable hydrogen or energy storage project can drive economic and social growth in the local community
• Understand the value of a local supply chain and how it can maximize the project’s positive impact on the community and the country
• Plan for the life cycle of your project’s components and reuse and recycle it
• Discover how to increase the positive social impact of your energy storage project by planning for factors like battery life cycles, recycling, and circular economy
Analyzing success stories: Learn from projects already underway
In Chile there is a great renewable energy ambition, and even though important regulation and permitting aspects are still being worked out, there are companies investing in renewable hydrogen and energy storage projects already.
These pioneering companies are contributing to a significant milestone in the development of renewable projects in the country. Consequently, it is essential to learn from them to accelerate the energy transition and decarbonization.
• Identify different revenue stackings which helped ongoing projects become profitable and learn how to apply them in your own project
• Examine in detail projects such as HyEx, HYDRA, HIF, H2 Magallanes for renewable H2, and Cerro Dominador, Espejo Tarapacá, and Alto Maipo for energy storage, among others
• Lessons learned: Analyze how leading developers in Chile overcome their operating challenges and how their strategies can work for you too
DAY 2 - HYDROGEN ROOM
DAY 2 - STORAGE ROOM
SECTION 1: AMBITION vs. REALITY
From Chile’s Ambition to Reality in green hydrogen Production
Chile aspires to be a major producer and exporter of renewable hydro- gen due to its capacity for renewable energy production and its solar resource, which is the best in the world. However, the production and export of renewable hydrogen are in their early stages and developers face technological, regulatory, and infrastructural challenges. While there are announcements of projects and agreements, will they trans- form into significant production and export in the short and medium term?
• Evaluate the role of the Chilean government to achieve the goals of large-scale renewable hydrogen production
• Understand the current state of renewable hydrogen production technology in Chile and identify the most promising technologies for large-scale production
• Analyze the feasibility of hydrogen storage, transport and export; understand the development milestones of the infrastructure on the short and middle term
DAY 2 - STORAGE ROOM
Balancing Ambition and Reality in Commercial Energy Storage Deployment in Chile
Chile has shown significant ambition in deploying energy storage tech- nologies to integrate more variable renewable energy into its power grid. However, there are still numerous technical, economic, and regu- latory barriers that limit the commercial deployment of these technologies.
• Analyze the existing potential in the Chilean energy storage market and evaluate the best investment opportunities in the near future
• Understand how technological solutions and regulation are evolving to overcome obstacles in the permitting, construction, and operation of storage assets in the coming years
• Study the feasibility of developing renewable plants with storage versus stand-alone battery projects
• Examine opportunities to mitigate curtailment in Chile
SECTION 2: BUSINESS MODELS
How to build, design, and size profitable green hydrogen projects in Chile
Thanks to the increase in natural gas prices, renewable hydrogen has become competitive compared to gray hydrogen. However, a significant effort is still needed to reduce the longterm production costs of renewable hydrogen and thus completely replace fossil-origin hydrogen in all areas of use.
Currently, the cost of electrolyzers represents only 30% of the total cost, while the remaining 70% is the cost of energy. In this session we analyze how to build a strong H2 industry in Chile while keeping LCOH competitive internationally.
• Compare the advantages of different designs of renewable hydrogen plants, from directly connected by cable to the generation to virtual power purchase agreements, and choose the best option for your project
• Analyze the business case for increasing the size of the electrolyzer for use at peak generation times vs operating 24 hours a day; and determine which best suits your project
• Learn how to properly size an electrolyzer according to its use in the project
• Examine the optimal way to operate electrolyzers to secure a longer lifespan while maintaining high performance and minimizing downti- me
Optimizing the LCOH of your green hydrogen plant
Optimizing the LCOH is crucial for the competitiveness of renewable hydrogen production. Variables such as plant size, location, technology, material costs, energy prices, and tax incentives must be considered. To achieve efficient optimization, all project phases must be comprehensively addressed, from design and construction to operation and maintenance.
• Analyze the optimal technical features for designing and building renewable hydrogen projects with optimized LCOH, from plant modeling to operation
• Study the different technologies and equipment options to maximize your LCOH so you can choose the most suitable one for your plant
• Learn how to apply good management practices to reduce operating costs and extend the life of your plant
Stimulating the local consumption of green hydrogen
To create a national hydrogen industry in Chile with broad export capa- bilities, it is crucial to generate domestic demand and increase knowled- ge and confidence in the technology within the country. This will enable the development of larger projects for export while decarbonizing the economy and mining, adding value to Chilean exports. In this session, we will analyze current demand and industries that could be decarbonized with green hydrogen and discuss how to stimulate the demand for the molecule in Chile.
• Navigate existing bottlenecks and study the gap between H2 demand and supply in Chile; analyze how mining can play an essential role in leveraging demand
• Examine the impact of replacing the 350,000 annual tons of imported gray ammonia used in the production of ammonium nitrate for mining with renewable hydrogen produced in Chile
• Analyze different uses of renewable hydrogen in heavy industry to accelerate its decarbonization, such as in glassmakers, cement plants, and other possible sectors
• Reflect on the competitiveness of transitioning heavy transportation of trucks and buses to the use of hydrogen as a fuel
• Explore the technical limits of blending renewable hydrogen into the gas network and the challenges of decarbonizing industry and resi- dential consumption
Exploring profitable business models for energy storage projects in Chile
A solid and lasting commercial deployment of energy storage in Chile requires a market revenue mechanism that eliminates financial uncer- tainty. In this session, we analyze current remuneration revenue and how the market for energy storage systems will evolve in the coming years.
• Explore different business models for energy storage and determine your best option for profitability in Chile
• Analyze existing revenue mechanisms and understand where the market is heading
• Understand how to maximize your plant’s income by considering income from energy displacement, power, or complementary servi- ces
• Gain valuable information for your business by listening to the pers- pectives of developers in international markets, as well as their predictions for the Chilean market
The role of ancillary services in maximizing the profitability of your energy storage project
While the energy storage market in Chile becomes increasingly attractive, the regulation and business models are still being defined. One important consideration for project developers is the monetization of ancillary services, which we thoroughly examine in this session.
• Analyze the current policy behind monetizing ancillary services in Chile and evaluate its viability as a business model
• Discover how grid adjustment services are managed in other mar- kets and anticipate where the business opportunities are in Chile
• Calculate the direct impact that monetizing ancillary services has on the profitability of your storage project
Opportunities to mitigate curtailment in the Chilean energy market
In the northern region of Chile, excess energy has become a major challenge. The problem lies in the high concentration of solar and wind power plants and limited capacity for transmitting electricity to the central and southern parts of the country. To address this issue, there are various solutions such as building new transmission lines, implementing energy storage systems like batteries and reversible hydro plants and using demand response technologies. In this session, we analyze the opportunity of energy storage to solve – or at least alleviate – this complex problem in the Chilean energy system.
• Analyze the role of energy storage in minimizing curtailment and find business opportunities with this service
• Study which nodes are suffering from the most curtailment in the short and medium term to promote your projects in the right place and time
• Explore how to mitigate curtailment with energy storage, considering that on peak days, renewable energy sources have reached up to 71.4% of the mix
• Examine Chile’s high renewable potential with 2315 GW of power from renewable energy sources, of which over 1000 belong to Anto- fagasta alone; and understand its impact on generating curtailment
SECTION 3: ENERGY STORAGE AND GREEN HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY
New Technologies in Electrolysis
Developing advanced electrolysis technologies is essential for efficient and cost-effective production of renewable hydrogen. In this session, we compare the available technologies and assess their commercial viability:
• Explore the commercial viability of available electrolysis technolo- gies, including alkaline, PEM, AEM, and SOEC, and their respective associated costs
• Study the challenges that arise when rapidly increasing size of electrolyzers, availability of materials, manufacturing capacity, life cycle, and other relevant factors
• Analyze the supply chain of electrolyzers, their current situation, available resources, and prospects
Green hydrogen in ammonia, methanol, and other e- fuels
Synthetic fuels such as green ammonia and e-methanol are a safe alter- native for transporting hydrogen because they are more stable and easier to handle. Additionally, these chemical fuels are commodities that enjoy an established international market, which provides a clear path for commercialization. In this session, we will focus on the medium-term market for these ‘made in Chile’ renewable products.
• Analyze the opportunities for renewable chemical fuels like ammonia and e-fuels in the short and medium term and evaluate current and future market value
• Assess the process of generating these fuels: technology, plant design, energy consumption, and costs associated with their production
• Examine the plans of Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Chile to produce ammonia and other power-to-x fuels for large-scale export, as well as the costs and timeline projections they manage
• Explore the CO2 and green NH3 value chain to incorporate it into your e-fuel projects
• Listen to real case studies of projects focused on renewable ammonia generation already developing in Chile
Advanced technologies to optimize the performance of your energy storage plant
Performance is essential to maximize profitability of an energy storage asset. In this session, experts provide insights into the most important technical challenges to optimize operational performance and offer solutions.
• Analyze the impact of different Battery Management Systems (BMS) and compare market options to optimize plant performance according to your goals
• Compare different lithium chemistries to select the most suitable battery for your project
• Discover how intelligent energy management software can help you maximize your revenue by optimizing and improving asset efficiency
• Compare the technical and economic implications of coupling projects in alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC)
Beyond batteries: exploring innovative technologies for a more reliable power grid
Energy storage technologies such as pumped hydro, gravity storage, and thermal storage can store large amounts of energy for longer periods than batteries. As more variable renewable energy sources are connected to the power grid, these technologies are becoming increa- singly important to ensure proper grid operation. In this section, we analyze the development of energy storage technologies that go beyond batteries.
• Analyze the performance and costs of technologies such as thermal, gravity, and reversible pumped storage in comparison to batteries
• Study real-world cases of long-duration storage to determine their suitability for your projects
• Understand the role of these technologies in decarbonizing the Chilean power system by 2030
• Explore the possible implementation of seasonal storage, such as thermal storage, to ensure a reliable power supply in Chile
SECTION 4: INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
Lessons learned from more advanced markets for green hydrogen
Green hydrogen is becoming increasingly relevant worldwide. While some markets are more advanced than others in terms of regulation, permitting, and revenue streams, the position of sector leaders such as the US, Europe, and the UK is highlighted. This session will examine how the advanced markets mentioned above can offer crucial information on how to design the green hydrogen market in Chile.
• Study the certification standards for green hydrogen in Chile and the international standards that Chile production will have to abide by to export to international markets
• Analyze and compare technological challenges and bottlenecks in the component supply chain in Chile and other markets
• Obtain insights from real projects already underway in more advan- ced markets; and understand what lessons are applicable in Chile
• Explore successful project cases with signed HPAs for exporting H2 from Chile and understand what offtakers are ready to sign agree- ments in Chile
Lessons learned from regulation and commercial deployment of energy storage in advanced markets
Energy storage is a key topic for the energy transition in Chile and beyond. Some markets, however, are more advanced in terms of regulation, processing, and revenue streams. The United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, South Korea and the United States are the global leaders in energy storage. In this session, we will study how these advanced markets can provide important intelligence on how to structure the energy storage market in Chile.
• Discover how the most advanced countries have developed the energy storage market and examine proposals to structure the national market
• Analyze the challenges that promoters face in other markets, such as bottlenecks in the supply chain and high equipment costs, competitive advantages, processing times, revenue streams, and their impact on the commercial deployment of the sector
• Understand the impact of the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) or European provisions on international markets and study how it will impact the Chilean market