Why are photovoltaic systems important in Colombia?

The implementation of photovoltaic systems in Colombia has enabled 2% of the population in areas that do not have access to electric energy to meet their lighting, refrigeration and leisure needs, allowing them to expand their capacities and improve their quality of life. The systems that have been installed are mainly focused on the rural sector.

What is the energy transition in Colombia?

The Colombian energy transition is centered around large and small-scale wind and solar power integration that will increase the requirements of flexibility services, inertia and grid expansion at transmission and distribution levels, but also that will make the generation mix even greener.

Is the Just Energy Transition an opportunity for decarbonizing Colombia's economy?

“In Colombia, we see the just energy transition not just as an opportunity for decarbonizing our national economy, but also as an opportunity to achieve long-term environment and economic sustainability through an inclusive strategy where citizens are at the center of the transition.

Is hydropower a viable alternative to storage systems in Colombia?

Since the existing regulatory framework in Colombia is not allowing storage systems or behind-the-meter resources to provide the required flexibility services, hydropower will be the more likely alternative, leading to faster system dynamics and to new inertia requirements.

Are non-hydro renewable sources a problem in Colombia?

However, non-hydro renewable sources still represent less than 2% of Colombia’s installed generation capacity, exposing the electric system to risks. Moreover, the country faces high costs and steep barriers to modernizing its transmission infrastructure and transporting renewable electricity safely and reliably, particularly to off-grid regions.

What does a security operations center do in Colombia?

Cyber-security Resilience: The Colombian system operator has set up a security operations center responsible for monitoring, preventing, detecting, analyzing and responding against cyber-security threats in the power system (Figure 5). Figure 5 - Colombian security operations center (source: XM S.A. E.S.P)