Solar, wind power and energy communities in Colombia: 2025 policy overview

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute provides a snapshot of the wind and solar energy landscape in Colombia as of early 2025, detailing capacity growth, approved projects, and the financial and social challenges facing the energy transition.

• Colombia saw a significant increase in solar and wind capacity, rising from 1.5% of the total electricity matrix in 2022 to approximately 9% in 2024, primarily driven by solar expansion.
• The Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME) has approved 13.5 GW of solar and 2.8 GW of wind projects for the period between 2023 and 2033, suggesting a potential sharp increase in capacity over the next five years.
• The National Development Plan 2022–2026 aims to establish 20,000 energy communities by 2026 to promote energy democratization.
• Renewable energy investment in Colombia dropped by nearly 70% between 2022 and 2023, attributed to high capital costs, pressure to lower electricity prices, and changes in tax incentives. Meeting the solar and wind capacity goals of the National Energy Plan (PEN) 2022–2052 would require up to USD 92.4 billion.
• The expansion of renewable projects faces equity and justice challenges; the Just Energy Transition Roadmap provides strategies to ensure local communities receive tangible benefits and meaningful participation.

APA

Araújo, J. V., Cabré, M. M., & Barrera, M. P. G. (2025). Solar, wind power and energy communities in Colombia: 2025 policy overview. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/publications/solar-wind-power-energy-communities-colombia-2025-policy/

Chicago

Araújo, José Vega, Miquel Muñoz Cabré, and María Paula Gil Barrera. Solar, wind power and energy communities in Colombia: 2025 policy overview. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2025. https://www.sei.org/publications/solar-wind-power-energy-communities-colombia-2025-policy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Araújo |first1=José Vega |last2=Cabré |first2=Miquel Muñoz |last3=Barrera |first3=María Paula Gil |title=Solar, wind power and energy communities in Colombia: 2025 policy overview |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2 October 2025 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/solar-wind-power-energy-communities-colombia-2025-policy/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{arajo2025solar, author = {Araújo, José Vega and Cabré, Miquel Muñoz and Barrera, María Paula Gil}, title = {{Solar, wind power and energy communities in Colombia: 2025 policy overview}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/solar-wind-power-energy-communities-colombia-2025-policy/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }