Colombia's Mines and Energy Planning Unit (UPME) has granted permits to connect close to 7.5GW of renewable energy to the national grid.
A total of 843 connection requests were submitted, representing more than 56.6GW of renewable capacity, to UPME. The authority granted connection permits to 165 projects for a combined 7,493MW, divided as:
Solar - 147 projects totaling 5.8GW
Wind - 10 projects totaling 1.6GW including 350MW of offshore capacity
Hydroelectric - 7 projects totaling 169MW
UPME also awarded a connection permit to a new biomass project. Most projects are found in La Guajira, Cesar and Magdalena in northern Colombia, and in Caldas, Quindío and Risaralda in the central-western area of the country.
The authority assigned permits according to several criteria, including reliability, flexibility, reduction of emissions, restriction reduction on the grid, stock price, impact from energy losses and the status of environmental licensing.
"We are pleased to inform that we have assigned close to 7,500MW, mainly solar and wind, which will allow the great potential of unconventional renewable energy in the country to be used, guaranteeing a more reliable and competitive electric power network, by enabling greater options in the market, in addition to contributing to the change in the country's energy matrix," said Adrián Correa, head of UPME.
Colombia has been actively promoting the development of renewable energy in the country in recent years. Last December, state-owned oil firm Ecopetrol announced it will invest between COP 5.9 trillion ($1.23bn) and COP 6.8 trillion ($1.4bn) in energy transition projects in 2023 (PFR, 12/15).