At present, the need to abandon fossil fuels has become more and more urgent, and many Latin American countries such as Colombia have embarked on the path of decarbonization. Although Colombia lags behind countries such as Chile or Brazil in solar energy development, the high level of solar radiation energy within the country and the favorable fiscal and taxation system for renewable energy projects make solar energy the most important tool for the country's energy transition.
Colombia seeks ways to boost solar development due to energy risks caused by El Nio and La Nia. The country's existing 100-megawatt solar power plants and other projects under construction will contribute to an efficient transition.
According to the Colombian Mining and Energy Planning Agency (UPME), due to its proximity to the equator and high levels of solar radiation, Colombia can generate 40 gigawatts of solar energy, making it attractive to invest in large-scale solar power facilities.
The La Loma solar power plant (La Loma) in the Colombian province of Cesar, with an installed capacity of 187 megawatts, is currently one of the country's major solar power projects and the country's first operating solar power plant. .
In addition, the first and second phases of the Guayepo solar complex construction project, held by Italian energy developer Enel Green Power, have a total installed capacity of 486.7 MW and an investment of US$290 million.
At the same time, many mining companies are also beginning to pay attention to solar energy. For example, Drummond, a large US coal company, is waiting to obtain an environmental permit to build a solar power plant near its mine in the Colombian province of Cesar. The first and second phases of the project will generate 50 MW and 190 MW, respectively.