Enel launches Latin America's first nanotechnology wastewater treatment plant in Peru's wayra i wind farm

Enel, through its renewable subsidiary Enel Green Power Peru (“EGPP”), has started operating a nanotechnology-based wastewater treatment plant for the construction site of its Wayra I wind project in Marcona, Ica Region, a one of a kind wastewater treatment plant in Latin America.

Umberto Magrini, Head of Engineering and Construction at Enel Green Power, said: “This highly innovative technology that we have introduced for the first time at the Wayra I wind farm in Peru is testament to Enel Green Power’s leadership in the sustainable construction site model which we are rolling out across four continents in projects amounting to more than 2 GW of capacity in the next two years. This initiative allows us to measure social and environmental impacts on site, representing significant step forward in aligning our construction sites with the Circular Economy fundamentals. We also believe that our workers and suppliers become more committed in working in such an environment and they feel more engaged in supporting the creation of shared value between the communities and the company.”

The new facility filters wastewater through a series of ceramic membranes with BioGill-patented nanotechnology, which allows bacteria to purify water in a natural way. Up until the completion of Wayra I, due in the first half of 2018, the new treatment plant will allow EGPP to reuse around 350 cubic metres of wastewater at the construction site, therefore reducing overall water usage on site. Moreover, the wastewater treatment plant will reduce the use of motor vehicles for the removal of mud, avoiding the emission of 1.64 tonnes of CO2 during Wayra I’s construction. For a video depicting the innovative wastewater treatment plant, please click: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BxOZja76ph4mb1hrdlBoN05OUjA

The operation of the wastewater treatment facility itself is CO2-free, as it is powered by a small 4 kW wind generator with a 2 kV battery storage system. Once construction activities are completed at Wayra I, the treatment facility, which is mobile, can be transferred to other construction sites.

Wayra I is the first wind farm built by Enel in Peru as well as the largest wind project currently under construction in the country with 132 MW of capacity. The project is expected to generate around 600 GWh of emission-free electricity per year. The total investment in Wayra I amounts to approximately 165 million US dollars.

Enel Green Power, the renewable energies division of the Enel Group, is dedicated to the development and operation of renewables across the world, with a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a global leader in the green energy sector with a managed capacity of more than 39 GW across a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and hydropower, and is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies like storage systems into renewable power plants.