GUÍA PARA NO EXPERTOS

This guide by Transforma provides a foundational explanation of energy concepts, the electricity market, and the process of a just energy transition (JET) in Colombia. It aims to demystify technical terms and combat misinformation to encourage public participation in shifting from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources.

• The guide distinguishes between energy sources (where energy comes from, such as the sun or wind) and forms of energy (how it manifests, such as heat or light). It further differentiates between renewable sources, which regenerate at a rate equal to or faster than consumption, and non-renewable sources, such as oil and coal, which exist in limited quantities.
• In Colombia, the electricity system is demand-driven, with an installed capacity approximately 150% higher than current demand. The system prioritizes lower-priced electricity and renewable sources through a process called 'economic dispatch,' which often reduces the need to activate thermoelectric plants.
• The document clarifies the difference between the energy matrix and the electric matrix. Colombia's electric matrix is relatively clean because it is primarily hydroelectric. However, the overall energy matrix has a significant environmental impact because it includes fossil fuels used in transport, which account for approximately 40% of national emissions.
• A just energy transition (JET) involves several strategies: electrification (replacing fossil fuel activities with electricity), energy efficiency, increasing renewable capacity, behavioral changes, and the 'phase-out' of fossil fuels. Phase-out is described as a gradual process of reducing production and use until technologies become obsolete, followed by total decommissioning, rather than an immediate prohibition.
• The energy transition must be accompanied by an economic transition to ensure social equity. This includes labor reconversion (training workers for 'green jobs'), re-industrialization (finding alternative productive activities like bioeconomy or ecological tourism), and diversification to avoid regional dependence on a single industry.
• The transition is a gradual process with significant time requirements for infrastructure and social change. For example, building a solar plant takes about two years, while decommissioning a thermal plant can take four to six years. Factors that can delay the transition include the need for new regulations, social polarization, and the time required for populations to adapt to new technologies.

APA

Rodas, J. F. P. (2025). GUÍA PARA NO EXPERTOS. Transforma. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/250606-Mitos-y-Realidades.pdf

Chicago

Rodas, Juan Felipe Parra. GUÍA PARA NO EXPERTOS. Transforma, 2025. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/250606-Mitos-y-Realidades.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rodas |first1=Juan Felipe Parra |title=GUÍA PARA NO EXPERTOS |publisher=Transforma |date=2025 |url=https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/250606-Mitos-y-Realidades.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rodas2025gua, author = {Rodas, Juan Felipe Parra}, title = {{GUÍA PARA NO EXPERTOS}}, institution = {Transforma}, year = {2025}, url = {https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/250606-Mitos-y-Realidades.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }