# Lighthouse Commissions 82 MW Faro de San Marcos Solar Plant in Ecuador

- Published: 2026-11-07 11:12 UTC
- Section: Power & Energy › Energy
- Tags: Faro de San Marcos solar plant, Lighthouse Ecuador, Difare Group PV project, bifacial solar farm, Ecuador renewable capacity, Santa Elena photovoltaic
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-e313fbc9f540a24f8f66bee6_lighthouse_commissions_82/

**The $50 million facility features over 105,000 bifacial panels and becomes Ecuador's largest operational PV plant.**

![Lighthouse Commissions 82 MW Faro de San Marcos Solar Plant in Ecuador](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/db1a85383456e719.jpg)
*pv-magazine.com*

Lighthouse, a subsidiary of Difare Group, inaugurated the 82 MW Faro de San Marcos solar plant on November 5 in Baños de San Vicente, Santa Elena province, Ecuador, according to pv-magazine.com [1]. The facility has entered commercial operation and represents an investment of $50 million for its first phase [1]. The developer stated that the site is currently Ecuador’s largest operational and privately owned photovoltaic installation [1].

## Technical Architecture and Yield

The solar power station covers 49.3 hectares and incorporates more than 105,000 bifacial solar modules [1]. Technical project details specify the use of fixed-tilt, dual-slope mounting structures, string inverters, and dedicated transformer stations [1]. The final installed capacity of 82 MW exceeded the 75 MW baseline originally planned at the project's announcement in December 2025 [1]. Construction was completed in eight months, employing an average workforce of 400 personnel [1].

Lighthouse expects the facility to generate approximately 106 GWh of electricity annually, which corresponds to the estimated demand of 15,000 households [1]. Generated energy flows directly into the distribution network run by state-owned utility Corporación Nacional de Electricidad (CNEL EP) [1]. Commercial off-takers sourcing electricity through the grid include retail chain Tía, Corporación El Rosado, and Difare [1].

## Grid Additions and Expansion

Commercial commissioning occurred ahead of schedule, which initially targeted the first quarter of 2027 [1]. During the opening event, Difare Group Executive Chairman Carlos Cueva Mejía announced development plans for an adjacent solar facility requiring an estimated $80 million investment [1].

The plant follows the September startup of the 65 MW Río de Oro Energy facility, built by GPS Group in the same province for over $50 million to produce 90 GWh annually [1]. These private deployments follow regulatory approvals from August 2025, when Ecuador authorized 643 MW of private renewables, including 179.1 MW for distributed generation and 464.6 MW for corporate self-generation [1]. Data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) recorded 131.35 MW of cumulative installed solar capacity in Ecuador at the end of 2025 [1].

## Sources

1. [pv-magazine.com](https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/11/07/ecuadors-largest-pv-plant-goes-online)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-e313fbc9f540a24f8f66bee6_lighthouse_commissions_82/