(July 25, 2007) The Matte group has started to seek out
non-conventional sources of renewable energy. The business
conglomerate joined with the Independence Investment Fund Monday
to create a fund that seeks to raise US$ 100 million which will
be devoted to renewable energy projects.
"We made an initial contribution of US$10 million, and if
necessary, we could donate more. We are inviting other investors
to join this initiative. The idea is that bio-mass, wind,
hydropower, geothermic, and solar projects begin to operate
before 2012,” said the general manager Colbún Bernardo Larraín
Matte.
The Independence Fund will administrate the finances of the new
fund, which is expected to operate for 10 years.
The Matte group will also invest US$120 million in new projects
concerning renewable energy sources, which will bring over 100 MW
to the Interconnected Central System. The system is expected to
operate between 2008 and 2012.
Meanwhile, Matte group announced Monday that their investment in
the ambitious Aysen dam project can surpass the predicted US$ 4
billion if the 9,000 hectares they planned to flood to construct
the four power stations and their reservoirs is reduced. Bernardo
Matte, the president of Colbún, affirmed that this would make the
project less profitable.
The businessman clarified that “the project is feasible and we
are optimistic, but it isn’t certain that the reduction will be
thirty percent. In September we will have clarity on the
issue.”
SOURCE: LA TERCERA
By: Alejandro Gac-Artigas (editor@santiagotimes.cl)