Cobija

Solar power plant in Pando, Bolivia. Approximate location -11.025, -68.815.

SolarPandoBoliviaAssumed PV

Cobija is a 5 MW solar power plant in Pando, Bolivia. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 2.1k homes (estimated). It ranks #30 of 30 Bolivia power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2017, it is around 9 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, solar supplies about 2.9% of Bolivia's electricity; the national grid averages 481 gCO₂/kWh (36.1% low-carbon) (2025).

5MW installed capacity
2,127homes powered (est.)
2017commissioned (~9 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WKS0064693.

Data status

Known data

FacilityCobija WRI
CountryBolivia · Pando WRI
Coordinates-11.025, -68.815 WRI
FuelSolar WRI
MW installed capacity5 MW WRI GPPD; source record
Commissioned2017 WRI
TechnologyAssumed PV WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#30 / 30 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#3 / 3 calculated
Homes-powered equivalent2,127 calculated
Climate25.4°C · HDD 0 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC3 · 33/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

OwnerNot available not in dataset
GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset
CO₂ emissionsnot applicable not applicable

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

The capacity and fuel fields on this page are source-record values from the upstream open dataset. They are useful for identification and ranking, but they have not been upgraded to a 2026 registry/GEM-location verified value.

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

Technically it is described as Assumed PV. Solar PV converts sunlight directly into electricity with no moving parts or fuel; output varies by time of day and weather, so it pairs with storage or flexible backup.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Capacity vs largest solar plants in Bolivia

Uyuni Colcha K: 50 MW50Uyuni Colc…Yunchara: 6 MW6YuncharaCobija: 5 MW5Cobija

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Local climate & thermal context

This solar plant converts sunlight directly into electricity with photovoltaic panels. It sits in a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Am) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 11.0°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

25.4°Cannual mean temp
0heating degree-days (base 18°C)
2,693cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
242 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 26 °CJF: 26 °CFM: 26 °CMA: 26 °CAM: 25 °CMJ: 24 °CJJ: 24 °CJA: 25 °CAS: 26 °CSO: 26 °CON: 26 °CND: 26 °CD26 °C

This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.

Solar PV loses ~0.35%/°C above 25°C cell temperature — roughly 0.5% at warm-season highs here (estimate).

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C3ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
33/100environmental-severity index
2.8°Cseasonal temperature swing
736 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #3 largest solar power plant of 3 in Bolivia by capacity.

Bolivia has 3 solar power plants in this dataset, together about 61 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates -11.025, -68.815 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Cobija?

Cobija is a 5 MW solar power plant in Pando, Bolivia, commissioned in 2017.

How many homes can Cobija power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 2,127 homes (estimated).

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