Colbún, a leading power generation and energy solutions company in Chile, has inaugurated the country’s first industrial green hydrogen (GH2) plant at its Nehuenco thermoelectric complex in Quillota. This facility marks a milestone in Chile’s clean energy journey, becoming the first hydrogen plant in the nation to operate alongside a power generation unit.

The Nehuenco complex, which supplies power to over 570,000 homes, previously used gray hydrogen—produced from fossil fuels—to cool its generators. With the commissioning of this off-grid green hydrogen plant, the cooling process will now be powered by hydrogen produced entirely from photovoltaic (solar) energy. The transition eliminates emissions associated with gray hydrogen, advancing Colbún’s goal of sustainable and low-carbon power generation.

Developed with an investment of around USD 1.6 million, the new facility integrates a 100 kW solar farm, battery storage systems, an electrolyzer, and hydrogen storage tanks. Operating independently from Chile’s national power grid, it generates ultra-clean hydrogen via electrolysis, using renewable energy to split water molecules. This innovation is part of Colbún’s broader modernisation strategy for the Nehuenco complex, in operation since the early 2000s. The company aims to enhance operational efficiency, reliability, and flexibility to better complement Chile’s growing renewable energy mix of solar and wind power.

As part of its sustainability initiatives, Colbún has also invested in a reverse osmosis plant to optimise water use during droughts, initiated a large-scale maintenance programme, and secured environmental approvals. These upgrades will improve generation capacity, water efficiency, and overall operational resilience.

Colbún CEO José Ignacio Escobar underscored the importance of technological diversification in achieving Chile’s energy transition. “True progress comes from combining technologies that complement each other. Sustainability must balance environmental, social, and economic dimensions while creating value and opportunities for everyone,” he said. Escobar also thanked Corfo, local authorities, and the Quillota community for their collaboration.

The inauguration was attended by more than 100 guests, including José Orrego, Presidential Delegate of Quillota Province, who called the plant a “key achievement” in President Gabriel Boric’s renewable energy policy. The project strengthens Chile’s growing leadership in green hydrogen and reinforces its role as a model for sustainable industrial transformation in Latin America.

Source: 

https://solarquarter.com/2025/10/27/colbun-inaugurates-landmark-green-hydrogen-plant-the-first-to-operate-alongside-a-power-plant-in-chile/