Unlocking the energy transition in Colombia: Strategies to reduce gas dependency

Colombia faces a projected gas supply deficit from 2030 onwards as domestic production declines. The report argues that the country can mitigate this risk and avoid costly imports by implementing energy efficiency in industry and electrifying cooking and water heating in the residential sector. It recommends a planned, just transition that includes a national appliance replacement programme, the reorientation of subsidies, and the limitation of new fossil fuel infrastructure to avoid carbon lock-in.

• Colombia is projected to experience a gas supply deficit starting in 2030, with a shortfall of 14,556 GBtu in that year, potentially growing to 1.2 million GBtu between 2030 and 2038.
• Implementing energy efficiency measures in industrial direct and indirect heating processes could reduce gas demand by approximately 14,277 GBtu per year, or about 14% of the sector's 2025 projected consumption.
• Electrifying cooking for 10% of grid-connected households (1.2 million stoves) and replacing 30% of water heaters (32,000 units) would reduce 2030 consumption by over 7,000 GBtu, keeping residential demand near 2024 levels.
• Combined energy efficiency and electrification measures could reduce 2030 gas demand by 21,545 GBtu, which is 1.5 times the projected deficit for that year, potentially avoiding $2 billion USD in import costs over a decade.
• The report argues against fracking as a solution to the gas deficit, citing high investment costs, slow production timelines, and environmental risks to water and ecosystems.
• Residential gas use is heavily supported by subsidies; in 2024, these amounted to 1.41 trillion Colombian pesos, with approximately 70% funded by the national budget.

APA

Suárez, W., Rodas, J. F. P., Vásquez, M. P., & Valencia, V. (2025). Unlocking the energy transition in Colombia: Strategies to reduce gas dependency. Transforma. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EN-Report-Unlocking-the-energy-transition-in-Colombia_Strategies-to-reduce-gas-dependency.pdf

Chicago

Suárez, Wilmar, Juan Felipe Parra Rodas, María Paulina Vásquez, and Verónica Valencia. Unlocking the energy transition in Colombia: Strategies to reduce gas dependency. Transforma, 2025. https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EN-Report-Unlocking-the-energy-transition-in-Colombia_Strategies-to-reduce-gas-dependency.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Suárez |first1=Wilmar |last2=Rodas |first2=Juan Felipe Parra |last3=Vásquez |first3=María Paulina |last4=Valencia |first4=Verónica |title=Unlocking the energy transition in Colombia: Strategies to reduce gas dependency |publisher=Transforma |date=4 December 2025 |url=https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EN-Report-Unlocking-the-energy-transition-in-Colombia_Strategies-to-reduce-gas-dependency.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{surez2025unlocking, author = {Suárez, Wilmar and Rodas, Juan Felipe Parra and Vásquez, María Paulina and Valencia, Verónica}, title = {{Unlocking the energy transition in Colombia: Strategies to reduce gas dependency}}, institution = {Transforma}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://transforma.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/EN-Report-Unlocking-the-energy-transition-in-Colombia_Strategies-to-reduce-gas-dependency.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }