Colombia Offshore Wind Opportunities
Colombia is emerging as one of Latin America’s fastest-growing offshore wind markets. In May 2022, the Government of Colombia published the roadmap for offshore wind development which is part of a broader plan to wean the country from hydropower and fossil fuels. Authored by London-based firm Renewables Consulting Group in partnership with the World Bank and the British government, the document revealed that the potential capacity for offshore wind in Colombia is almost three times the current level in all technologies (hydro, thermoelectric, solar, onshore wind, among others) which is about 17.5 GW. Investment opportunities in Colombia’s offshore wind potential could total USD 27 billion.
Despite the August 2022 change in administration in Colombia, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has indicated that it will continue with the implementation and timeframe established in the roadmap. There are two potential deployment scenarios for offshore wind in Colombia: the low scenario envisions 200 MW by 2030, 500 MW by 2040, and 1.5 GW by 2050; and the high scenario envisions 1 GW by 2030, 3 GW by 2040, and 9 GW by 2050, both on a cumulative basis.
Colombia is now preparing an auction for offshore wind concessions, in a bid to kickstart investment in the nascent sector. The proposed developments would have a combined installed capacity of 4,835MW. The initial seven offshore wind development projects are: OWF Astrolabio (825MW), OWF Barlovento (825 MW), OWF Bergantin (825MW), OWF Galeón (825MW), OWF Goleta (825MW), OWF Bitácora (510 MW), and Vientos Alisios (200 MW). They are intended to take place in the departments of La Guajira (two projects), Magdalena (two projects), BolÃvar (two projects), and Atlántico (one project).
In March 2022, the mayor of Barranquilla (Colombia’s fourth largest city, located in northeastern Colombia) signed a memorandum of understanding with Denmark’s Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners to build the first offshore wind farm. Barranquilla’s wind park will have the capacity to generate 350MW and is scheduled to become operational in 2026. The initiative is expected to require investments of up to USD 1 billion. Local reporting projects Barranquilla to be an offshore wind service hub.
We encourage interested companies to take advantage of this growing sub-sector by discussing opportunities with Energy Sector Lead, Norcia Ward, by email at Norcia.WardMarin@trade.gov.