OVERVIEW

The US Energy Agency Partnership (USEA) with USAID helps the Government of Colombia (GOC) and Colombian utility companies integrate renewable energy sources into the national power grid.  USEA assists GOC entities and utility companies improve the Colombian electricity system’s reliability and facilitate system growth.  USEA also strengthens energy utility executives and employees’ capacities to manage power systems, develop energy resources and design off-grid power sources. USEA’s Colombian work runs from January 2018-July 2022.

COMPONENTS

DESIGNING RENEWABLE ENERGY AUCTIONS

USEA assists the Colombian Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) to design an auction program to procure solar and wind energy at competitive prices. USEA also supports GOC energy capacity building events and provides the GOC with energy auction expertise from other Latin American countries.  

SUPPORTING WOMEN IN THE ENERGY SECTOR

USEA supports a MME gender equality initiative by inviting women with energy expertise to speak at energy events and act as role models to Colombian women working in the energy sector.

DEVELOPING LARGE SCALE BATTERY STORAGE

USEA helped design and procure large-scale battery storage for the Colombian energy grid. USEA organizes battery storage workshops, brings US experts to evaluate proposed project sites, and structures battery storage procurement requests. 

MONITORING INDEPENDENT MARKETS

USEA helps the GOC establish an independent electricity market monitoring unit to improve energy market pricing and competitiveness. USEA supports the unit’s implementation by organizing webinars and conferences about independent electricity market monitoring.

RESULTS

• Updated Colombia’s power grid connection code to better integrate solar and wind projects;  
• Engaged female energy professionals through solar energy events; 
• Helped the Energy and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG) develop regulations for battery storage use to relieve energy grid transmission and congestion problems;
• Helped the GOC hold its second renewable energy auction which resulted in the GOC awarding 15-year power purchase agreements to nine new solar and wind projects;
• Supported 150 wind and solar energy projects’ registration with the National Energy Planning Unit; and
• Supported MME to design and implement a renewable energy auction model that increased Colombia’s renewable energy generation by 2,531 MW and that will leverage USD $2 billion in private sector investment by 2023.