The Caribbean coast region is not the only one in the national territory focused on the development of renewable energynow the Llanos Orientales are also on the radar for the assembly of these infrastructures.
(Read: Wind farms prepare their lines for connection).
That is the case of Goala department with a long hydrocarbon tradition, and which at the same time is consolidated as a protagonist of the Colombian Energy Transition.
Thus, this area of the country will have ten large-scale solar power generation and self-generation projectswith the capacity to generate 295.66 megawatts (MW) of clean energy, equivalent to the consumption of 215,166 Colombian families.
“The Energy Transition promotes the sustainable reactivation of the country and its regions. In addition to clean energy, this number of initiatives in the department of Meta will produce about 1,800 jobs and investments for $904,475 million”, indicated Diego Mesa, Minister of Mines and Energy.
The official specified that Meta “is a clear example that the hydrocarbon sector and the energy transition can be developed at the same time and in the same place; it produces more than 50% of Colombia’s crude oil and is also leading in the generation of non-conventional renewable energy.
(What’s more: La Loma solar park delivers the first kilowatt hour of energy).
Only in the last month have two large-scale solar plants for electricity generation come into operation, and whose current has already begun, albeit slightly, to enter the matrix of the National Interconnected System (WITHOUT).
“The good levels of solar irradiation, added to the cost of the land, which is low for the assembly of the photovoltaic complexes and the wide possibility for the connection of these plants to the National Transmission System (STN), makes investments attractive for the development of these infrastructures”, explained Germán Corredor, executive director of the Association of Renewable Energies of Colombia (SER).
Recently the National Government toured the first phase of the Helios solar farm I, located in the village of La Unión, on the Villavicencio – Acacías road. The project has 20,520 solar panels, with 12.11 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity, equivalent to the consumption of some 15,400 homes per year.
The photovoltaic complex whose design, implementation and commissioning was advanced by Northland Power, through the Boyacá Energy Company, and which will be incorporated into the SIN, also contemplates a second phase, in which up to 7.22 MW will be installed additional to complete 19.33 MW.
“The project has financing from Bancolombia, which represents approximately 68% of the total investment required for its construction.”, indicated Javier Chavarría, executive director of Northland Power.
(Keep reading: Celsia’s net income reached $545,000 million in 2021).
Likewise, at the beginning of February in the municipality of Puerto Gaitán, the Bosques Solares de los Llanos photovoltaic plant, owned by the companies Matrix Renewables and Trina Solar, was inaugurated.
The installed capacity of the project is of 27.23 MW, and this is the second plant of the three located in the Eastern Plains. The first was inaugurated in September 2020.
Matrix Renewables is working on the financing of the projects with Bancolombia and an international development institution, demonstrating the great interest of the international and Colombian financial sector in the development of renewable energy projects in the country.
In addition, in the accounts of the Ministry of Mines and Energy there are also the Bosques de Los Llanos IV Solar Farm and Bosques de los Llanos V Solar Farm projects, which will come into operation in April and whose installed capacity is 43.47 MW.
Finally, last October, Ecopetrol and its subsidiary Cenit put into operation the San Fernando Ecoparka plant that has an installed capacity of 61 MW.
The complex occupies a surface of 57 hectares where 114,000 state-of-the-art solar panels are located. The mega structure was built by AES Colombia under a 15-year energy supply contract, which includes its operation and maintenance. The investment was close to US$40 million, equivalent to more than $150,000 million.
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