The Colombian authorities have allocated 4.4 GW of solar capacity at a rate of $0.0182/kWh in the nation's latest energy auction, with solar plants accounting for approximately 99% of the assigned capacity. The Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy has allocated 4,441 MW of PV capacity in the “Reliability Charge” energy auction. The allocations represent around 99% of the assigned capacity, with the remaining 1% coming from an 18 MW gas plant, 15 MW of biomass, and 5 MW of biogas. The procurement exercise concluded with a final price of $0.0182/kWh. The selected projects will have to deliver ..read more

Colombia's new decree includes requirements that energy communities must meet, such as rules on collective self-consumption and collective distributed generation. From pv magazine LatAm Colombia's Ministry of Mines and Energy has issued new rules for the deployment of energy communities across the country. The new provisions define energy communities as organized groups of electricity consumers that can associate to generate, sell, or efficiently use power through renewable energy, renewable fuels and other distributed resources The regulations make a distinction between collective self-genera ..read more

Project selected in the auctions will be granted a 15-year PPA and will have to begin delivering power in December 2022. From pv magazine Latam Colombia‘s Ministry of Mines and Energy has submitted to public consultation until next May 4 the draft resolution defining the country's second auction for large-scale renewable energy projects. The procurement exercise, which was originally planned to be held in the past quarter but then delayed due to the Covid-19 crisis, should now take place before the end of October, the ministry specified. Projects selected in the auctions will be granted 15-yea ..read more

Ecopetrol has announced plans to develop six new solar projects, which will bring its total installed PV capacity to 155 MW by the end of this year. State-owned oil producer Empresa Colombiana de Petróleos (Ecopetrol) has said that it will build six solar parks across Colombia's Meta, Huila, Antioquia and Bolívar regions. CEO Felipe Bayón said that the new projects will be finalized by the end of this year. It already has two operational solar facilities in the country's Meta department, and the new installations will bring its total installed PV capacity to 155 MW. “These projects are part of ..read more

The private-sector arm of the World Bank, which claims to leverage $3 of its own capital and $8 from third parties for every dollar invested in its blended finance funds, has attempted to quantify what devoting Covid recovery funds to green investment would mean for emerging economies. Channeling Covid-19 stimulus money towards renewables generation capacity as part of a green recovery could create 42.8 million jobs and a ten-year, $2.5 trillion investment opportunity in some of the world's main emerging markets. The International Finance Corp (IFC) private-sector arm of the World Bank has cru ..read more

According to the Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME), there are currently 385 projects totaling 15 GW at different stages of development, including 4 biomass, 17 wind, 93 hydro, 271 photovoltaic and 7 thermal. From pv magazine Latam. Colombia‘s Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME) has published detailed information on projects under development of renewable sources in Colombia as of July 31 of this year. According to the government agency, there are currently 385 projects totaling 15 GW at different stages of development, including 4 biomass, 17 wind, 93 hydro, 271 photovoltaic and 7 ther ..read more

PV initiatives should be designed to last, as several well-meaning off-grid solar projects for the developing world have floundered over the years. From pv magazine 07-08/23 With 760 million people worldwide still without access to electricity, it is of great importance that utility scale solar and storage projects can be installed in regions with little renewables capacity and limited energy access. The exponential growth of PV in the last decade is undeniable with the International Renewable Energy Agency estimating global solar capacity more than doubled between 2017 and the end of 2021, to ..read more

The procedures to secure income tax deductions, value-added tax exclusions, customs duty exemptions, and accelerated depreciation rates for renewable projects has been shortened to 45 days. From pv magazine LatAm With the approval of Decree 829 of 2020 (Decreto 829 de 2020), the government of Colombia is facilitating access to tax incentives defined in Law 1715 of 2014 by making the Energy Mining Planning Unit (UPME) the only entity that is allowed to determine which renewable energy projects are ​​entitled to such fiscal benefits. The time required to obtain approvals for the fiscal incentive ..read more

The Colombian authorities assigned 7.49 GW of renewable energy projects in the nation's latest procurement exercise. From pv magazine Latam Colombia's National Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME) has announced the results of its latest auction to procure renewable energy. It has assigned a renewable energy capacity of 7.493 MW through the procurement exercise. The total includes 5.774 MW spread across 147 solar projects. The UPME did not reveal any additional details about the projects or the final auction prices. Projects up to 5 MW in size were able to participate in the procurement exerc ..read more

The technology makes up almost 70% of planned clean energy generation capacity in a nation which added just 4 MW of solar last year. From pv magazine Latin America. Some 341 solar projects have been approved or are under review in Colombia, according to a registry compiled by the Mining and Energy Planning Unit. The authority revealed the figures in a new report published via its Twitter social media account. The figures show solar makes up 68.47% of the nation’s planned renewable energy assets, ahead of hydroelectric facilities, which supply 24.7%. Colombia is planning an 18.38 GW clean ener ..read more