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PUNTA PALMERAS

Wind power plant in Coquimbo, Chile. Approximate location -31.2362, -71.6271.

WindCoquimboChileOnshore

PUNTA PALMERAS is a 45 MW wind power plant in Coquimbo, Chile. It is operated by PUNTA PALMERAS S.A.. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 38k homes (estimated). It ranks #138 of 336 Chile power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2014, it is around 12 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, wind supplies about 13.1% of Chile's electricity; the national grid averages 289 gCO₂/kWh (66.4% low-carbon) (2025).

45Source-backed capacity
38,293homes powered (est.)
2014commissioned (~12 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id CHL0002014.

Data status

Known data

FacilityPUNTA PALMERAS WRI
CountryChile · Coquimbo WRI
Coordinates-31.2362, -71.6271 WRI
FuelWind WRI
MW installed capacity45 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerPUNTA PALMERAS S.A. WRI
Commissioned2014 WRI
TechnologyOnshore WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#138 of 336 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#10 of 18 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers0.98× · 46 MW median · 18 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent38,293 calculated
Climate14.3°C · HDD 1,392 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC4 · 46/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

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/or fuel fields on this page include a source-backed provenance label from GEM, an official registry, Wikidata, OSM, or a cross-source match.

capacity: GEM tracker 2026 (location L100000904941); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 45 MW, PUNTA PALMERAS is around the median wind plant in Chile (46 MW). Technically it is described as Onshore. Wind turbines convert moving air into electricity; output is variable and site-dependent, and modern turbines deliver some of the lowest-cost new generation on many grids.

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

Capacity vs largest wind plants in Chile

EL ARRAYAN: 115 MW115EL ARRAYANLOS CURUROS: 110 MW110LOS CURUROSTALTAL: 99 MW99TALTALTALINAY ORIENTE: 90 MW90TALINAY OR…VALLE DE LOS VIENTOS: 90 MW90VALLE DE L…TALINAY PONIENTE: 61 MW61TALINAY PO…CANELA II: 60 MW60CANELA IIMONTE REDONDO: 48 MW48MONTE REDO…

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

Owner

Operated by PUNTA PALMERAS S.A..

Local climate & thermal context

This wind plant converts the kinetic energy of wind into electricity through turbine rotors. It sits in a cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 31.2°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

14.3°Cannual mean temp
1,392heating degree-days (base 18°C)
19cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
449 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 18 °CJF: 18 °CFM: 17 °CMA: 14 °CAM: 12 °CMJ: 11 °CJJ: 10 °CJA: 11 °CAS: 12 °CSO: 14 °CON: 16 °CND: 17 °CD18 °C

Heating degree-days here run 43% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 32/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

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 corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with dust abrasion the leading environmental stress.

C4ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
46/100environmental-severity index
7.8°Cseasonal temperature swing
26 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 #10 largest wind power plant of 18 in Chile by capacity.

Chile has 18 wind power plants in this dataset, together about 897 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates -31.2362, -71.6271 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is PUNTA PALMERAS?

PUNTA PALMERAS is a 45 MW source-record wind power plant in Coquimbo, Chile, commissioned in 2014.

How many homes can PUNTA PALMERAS power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 38,293 homes (estimated).

Who operates PUNTA PALMERAS?

PUNTA PALMERAS is operated by PUNTA PALMERAS S.A..

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