Independent power producer (IPP) Atlas Renewable Energy has commissioned a 201MW solar PV plant in Colombia.
The Shangri-La solar project is located in the central-west department of Tolima and represents the first operational project in the country for the IPP. During the construction phase of the project, most of the jobs (over 65%) created were sourced in Tolima, with the IPP prioritising local labour. The company also involved women in the project’s construction, representing 22% of the workforce.
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“Shangri-La’s launch marks a firm step in Colombia’s energy transition. This project not only delivers clean and reliable energy to the national grid, but has also been a driving force for employment, training, and development for the communities in Tolima,” said Rubén Borja, country manager at Atlas Renewable Energy in Colombia.
A power purchase agreement for the project was signed with an unnamed “leading Colombian company” last year, when Atlas acquired the project from Colombian solar company Rayo Energia.
Moreover, the Shangri-La Solar Plant is part of a partnership with Colombian energy company Isagen, which is a subsidiary of Canadian asset owner Brookfield Asset Management, to develop, build and operate 1GW of solar PV projects in Colombia over the coming years.
The partnership between Atlas Renewable Energy and Isagen represents nearly half of the solar PV capacity installed in Colombia last year (1.6GW), according to a report from SolarPower Europe published this summer. The report highlighted that Colombia was “entering a new phase of energy diversification, where solar energy is being embraced to bolster energy security.”
The report also covered some of the common challenges in Colombia as well as four other South American countries – Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Peru.
