
Renewable Energy in Colombia is rapidly emerging as a pioneer in the , showcasing a remarkable commitment to climate action despite its status as a fossil fuel-producing nation. With a robust National Energy Plan extending to 2050, the country has set ambitious targets for diversifying its by incorporating , , and resources. The nation's resolve was further solidified at with the announcement of a [pdf]
In 2021, renewable energy accounted for 25% of Colombia’s total energy supply and for 29% of final consumption, substantially above the IEA average of 14% and made up 75% of electricity generation (compared to the IEA average of 30%).
Colombia’s hydropower has low runoff storage capacity but good flexibility for balancing higher shares of variable renewables. There is high interannual variability from extreme weather events (droughts or rainfall). Availability needs to be ensured with sufficient dispatchable capacity.
In the first renewable energy auction for the country, over 1 GW of wind power was awarded in 2019 for a 15-year power purchase agreement from 2022. Colombia has significant solar power resources because of its location in the equatorial zone, but the country sits in a complex region of the Andes where climatic conditions vary.
Colombia has implemented a modern regulatory, institutional, and market scheme to diversify the energy matrix. According to the 2050 Energy Plan published by UPME, it is expected that 25% of the energy matrix will come from unconventional renewable energy sources to meet climate goals and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Aes Corporation, Meta.
Colombia has an estimated theoretical wind power potential of 21 GW just in the Guajira Department —enough to generate sufficient power to meet the national demand almost twice over. However, the country only has an installed capacity of 19.5 MW of wind energy, tapping only 0.4% of its theoretical wind potential.
Colombia has a largely decarbonised power sector thanks to the significant role of hydropower and bioenergy. Electricity demand is expected to increase as a result of economic growth and the electrification of end-use sectors, an opportunity to decarbonise the transport sector over time.

The first historical landmark in the establishment of electric supply dates back from 1928, when Law 113 declared the exploitation of hydroelectric power of public interest. The system worked in a centralized manner, in which vertically integrated state companies maintained a monopoly in their corresponding regions. A public company, ISA, exchanged electricity among the different regional systems. [pdf]
Colombia’s power system is characterised by large installed capacity for hydropower (70% of total capacity), mostly from plants with significant reservoir capacity. VRE generation capacity, below 1% in 2017, would reach 17% by 2030 under the revised energy plan (UPME, 2018). Additional biomass power by 2030 would account for 3% of capacity.
The Inter-American Development Bank has currently one energy project under implementation in Colombia, the Porce III Hydroelectric Power Plant, owned by Empresas Públicas de Medellín and approved in October 2005. This is a US$900 million project, of which the IDB is contributing US$200 million.
In 2030 the VRE installed capacity will grow to 17%; however, Colombia will still have enough flexibility – even in dry years with limited hydropower generation – thanks to plans to greatly expand transmission capacity and to add another 2.4 GW of hydropower capacity (Ituango project) on top of the large hydro resources already in the system.
Colombia is a net power exporter. In 2005 the country exported 1.76 TWh of electricity to Ecuador (3.5% of total production). It imported only very small volumes of electricity from Venezuela and Ecuador (0.02 TWh each). According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, exports are estimated to increase at 5 percent annually.
Figure 1 - Installed capacity by source [2021 to 2026] (source: XM S.A. E.S.P) The ongoing energy transition in Colombia is marked by three main developments: (1) the massive integration of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs) and distributed energy resources, (2) advanced metering infrastructure deployment and (3) demand-side programs.
An interesting characteristic of the Colombian electricity sector (as well as of its water sector) is a system of cross-subsidies from users living in areas considered relatively affluent and from users consuming higher amounts of electricity to those living in areas considered poor and to those who use less electricity.

Global OTEC’s flagship project is the “Dominque,” a floating 1.5-MW OTEC platform set to be installed in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2025 (Figure 1). The company says the platform “will be the first commercial-scale OTEC system.” That’s significant because OTEC is a technology that was proposed as far back as 1881. . Existing prototypes have typically conformed to three basic configurations depending on their location: on land, relatively a short distance. . MOL lauded OTEC’s potential as a baseload power resource that is “not greatly affected by weather conditions.” Another noted benefit is that “even after deep ocean water is used for power generation, the water quality is unchanged, and the. . Global OTEC acknowledged, however, that launching its first commercial project, the Dominique, will require trailblazing a deployment pathway that. [pdf]
Traditional biomass – the burning of charcoal, crop waste, and other organic matter – is not included. This can be an important energy source in lower-income settings. Sao Tome and Principe: How much of the country’s energy comes from nuclear power?
Traditional biomass – the burning of charcoal, crop waste, and other organic matter – is not included. This can be an important source in lower-income settings. Sao Tome and Principe: How much of the country’s electricity comes from nuclear power? Nuclear power – alongside renewables – is a low-carbon source of electricity.
The troubles afflicting utility EMAE are dragging down the economy of the island nation. The United Nations Development Program is seeking consultants to conduct feasibility studies for a 2 MW solar project and three mini hydropower plants ranging in size from 1.15-2 MW in São Tomé and Principe.
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