Recently, the country has increasingly discussed the use of renewable energies in the generation matrix. This, in fact, is one of the government flags of President Gustavo Petro, who intends to decarbonize the economy.
(Minminas extended the commissioning of the Collecting line by 488 days).
In recent years, the country has promoted a series of long-term and reliability auctions for Fncer projects (Non-conventional Renewable Energy Sources) whose objective is to increase generation from wind and solar projects.
According to data published by Upme, as of July, 16,000 megawatts (MW) had been assigned to start generating (including hydroelectric, thermal and biomass).
From this assignment, the most important is solar, which represents 62% of the capacity (10,200 MW); They are followed by hydroelectric plants with 17% and wind projects with 17%. That is, the total generation allocations are 96% renewable projects.
(Naturgas and Minenergía announce agenda for energy transition).
Javier Martínez, deputy director of Electric Power at Upme, explained that this capacity to enter is scheduled for this energy to come into operation (Official Start-up Dates) between 2022 and 2027.
“By 2022 we have significant capacity and the bulk will be between 2023 and 2024,” he said. During this year, there are 3,791 MW scheduled to start operating, that is, 23% of the total assigned.
Now, it is between 2023 and 2024 that the large part of the assigned energy would enter. In these two years, the system would receive 10,384 MW, that is, 63.4% of the total assigned and 65% of the renewables (excluding thermal allowance).
However, these dates do not mean that this energy actually enters within the stipulated periods.
Christian Jaramillo, director of Upme, explained that “Creg issued a resolution that makes changes in Start-up Dates (FPO) more flexible, mainly for those who have an operational problem at the plant and are close to finishing.”
This means that this greater flexibility generates shifts in the official FPOs. Likewise, he assured that it is possible that some companies could use this to manage their construction risks.
For example, in 2022 there is a large percentage that is declared to enter from hydroelectric plants (2,474 MW) that may enter the system in installments.
This would be the case of Hidroituango, whose commissioning is expected to start in November, when the first two turbines would come into operation. That is, the estimated generation for these is 600 megawatts, when the full potential of the work is 2,400 megawatts.
(In July, 86% of the energy generated came from renewable sources).
In the following years and especially in 2023, photovoltaic generation projects would enter to a greater extent, which is the technology with the highest allocation.
When disaggregating the data by departments with the largest amount of approved energy, Upme highlights that Antioquia, Córdoba and La Guajira are the departments with the largest allocations, being 2,812 MW, 2,606 and 2,240 respectively. In Antioquia, for example, there is Hidroituango, while in Córdoba there are projects such as the Pétalo de Córdoba I Solar Park, by GreenYellow, with 130 MWp. For its part, La Guajira has a series of projects, including the largest wind farm in the country: Guajira 1, which would provide 20 MW of energy.
Jaramillo stated that Upme had also received 843 new requests for projects with a generation potential of more than 57,000 MW. Of these, it is in César and La Guajira where the greatest interest arose. In the first case, the greatest interest was for photovoltaic generation and in the second for wind. He explained, however, that up to 10,500 MW would be allocated.
They recognize Collector’s delay
The Ministry of Mines and Energy published resolution 40181 by means of which it granted Grupo Energía Bogotá an extension of 488 days for the Date of Commissioning of the Collector line – Cuestecitas and Cuestecitas – La Loma. The official FPO recognized by the Ministry will go from November 30 of this year to April 1, 2024. The company had requested 988 days from the portfolio until August 15, 2025. However, some were not granted. days referring to delays due to “internal conflicts of ethnic communities” that affected settlements.
DANIELA MORALES SOLER
BRIEFCASE
