The Colombian government has created Gecelca Solar, a solar PV-focused arm of its public utility company Gecelca.
Unveiled by the Colombian Ministry of Mining and Energy, the new company aims to decarbonise Gecelca’s fossil fuel portfolio and transition towards clean energy.
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Gecelca Solar will target an initial portfolio of 650MW, starting with the construction of a 200MW solar PV plant on the Caribbean coast of the country, where the company’s focus will be directed.
According to Edwin Palma Egea, Colombia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, the goal for Gecelca Solar is to decarbonise the coal plants in the region while reducing energy costs in the country’s Caribbean coast region.
This new platform will also allow resources to be directed towards boosting renewable energy projects, accelerate the reduction of energy poverty and promote fairer tariffs.
The government’s initiative will help boost the growth of solar PV in the country, which saw 1.6GW of additions in 2024, according to a report from trade association SolarPower Europe. In the report, SPE mentioned that Colombia was entering “a new phase of energy diversification, where solar energy is being embraced to bolster energy security.”
Interest in solar PV continues to grow in the country, which recently saw a 201MW solar PV plant commissioned last month by independent power producer (IPP) Atlas Renewable Energy.
Another project, the 26.4MW Pétalo del Norte I solar PV project, also began commercial operations in November. The project was delivered by Netherlands-headquartered investor Climate Fund Managers (CFM) along with two Colombian companies, Erco Energía and Andina Solar. On top of investing in the 26.4MW solar PV project, CFM also invested in a 40MW solar-plus-storage project expected to be built on land adjacent to the Pétalo del Norte I PV plant.
In related news, Spanish IPP Zelestra sold its 2.4GW Latin America platform to Colombian natural gas firm Promigas. The portfolio consists of solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Chile, Peru and Colombia.
Ecopetrol commissions 26MW solar PV plant in northwestern Colombia
In related news from Colombia, Colombian oil and energy company Ecopetrol has commissioned a 26MW solar PV plant in Antioquia, northwestern Colombia.
Dubbed Granja Solar La Iguana, the commissioning of the solar PV plant is part of the company’s target to reach 900MW of installed renewable energy assets in 2025.
Electricity generated by the solar PV plant will be used for the company’s self-consumption at its oil refinery plant and two gas fields.
The commissioning of the solar PV plant comes only days after the company acquired a 88MW portfolio of seven solar PV plants from Spanish independent power producer Grenergy. The delivery of the solar PV projects will be done independently and in stages throughout 2026.
