BOGOTÁ – Colombia's installed solar photovoltaic capacity has officially surpassed 4.58 GW, marking a dramatic acceleration in the country's renewable energy transition. According to the tracking dashboard for the Mining and Energy Planning Unit's (UPME) "6GW+" program, the nation has recorded 4,580.89 MW of solar capacity as of July 2026. Of this total, 3,386.22 MW comes from operational installations, while 1,194.67 MW – roughly one-quarter of the recorded capacity – remains in the testing phase and has not yet entered full commercial operation.
Solar Dominates Colombia's Renewable Expansion
The scale of Colombia's solar buildout becomes clear when viewed against the broader context of the country's renewable energy growth. Since August 2022, the UPME has recorded 4,654.31 MW of combined solar, wind and small-scale hydropower capacity added to the system. Solar power accounts for more than 98 per cent of that total, compared with just 41 MW of wind capacity under testing and 32.42 MW of hydropower capacity.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy reported that, as of July 17, 2026, the combined capacity of solar and wind projects stood at 4,626.73 MW. Together, these two technologies now account for 19.23 per cent of the installed capacity in Colombia's National Interconnected System – a remarkable figure for a country that had barely 200 MW of combined solar and wind capacity in August 2022.
"Solar plants have accounted for nearly all growth in the two technologies, while wind development has remained limited by delays to planned projects, mainly in La Guajira," the ministry noted.
The 6GW+ Target: Progress and the Road Ahead
The 6GW+ program, launched by the Colombian government, aims to deliver at least 6 GW of combined solar, wind and small-scale hydropower capacity between August 2022 and August 2026. With 4,654.31 MW currently registered, the country still needs to add approximately 1.35 GW of new capacity to meet the target.
Breaking down the 6GW+ registered capacity reveals a diverse project portfolio: 3,283.70 MW comes from utility-scale renewable projects, 575.94 MW from large-scale self-generation, 224.94 MW from distributed generation, 569.73 MW from small-scale self-generation, and 13.89 MW from installations in non-interconnected zones.
The ministry has indicated that future efforts will focus on accelerating the entry of new renewable projects, expanding transmission infrastructure, and promoting energy storage, energy communities and self-generation. These investments will be critical to integrating the 1.19 GW of solar capacity currently under testing as well as projects still under construction.
Challenges on the Path to 6 GW
Despite the impressive growth, significant hurdles remain. According to power generators' association Acolgen, Colombia could face firm-energy deficits of 2.3 per cent in 2026 and 4.4 per cent in 2027 if new capacity does not come online in time. The gap between registered capacity and effective net capacity is also notable: grid operator and wholesale market coordinator XM reports only 2,253 MW of effective net capacity from non-conventional renewable energy sources, highlighting the gap between projects that are registered, under testing, and actually delivering power to the grid.
Transmission infrastructure remains a key bottleneck. Industry observers have pointed out that while Colombia has added significant solar capacity, insufficient transmission infrastructure prevents many projects from formally connecting to the system. With 66 active generation projects totalling nearly 6,700 MW of combined capacity – of which 45 are solar developments accounting for roughly 5,250 MW – the pipeline is robust, but the grid must keep pace.
A New Era for Colombian Energy
Colombia's solar journey has been nothing short of transformative. In 2018, the country had barely 200 MW of installed solar capacity. By early 2026, that figure had surpassed 3 GW, split between 1,600 MW in commercial operation and another 1,400 MW in testing. The current milestone of 4.58 GW represents a doubling of capacity in just months.
As of the end of 2024, the UPME has confirmed almost 18.7 GW of power and of this, around 13.5 GW relates to solar power installations and 2.8 GW to wind power projects. Estimates show that the solar energy market in Colombia has the potential to expand from 2.9 GW in 2026 to 10.39 GW in 2031 at a CAGR of 29.10%.
Going forward, the government is preparing to revive long-term renewable energy auctions. The Ministry of Mines and Energy has already published a draft resolution on the remodelled auctioning system. The new format will help to ensure the growth of renewables, guarantee the revenues of projects' owners and reduce risks associated with demand exposure in the framework of the overall 6GW+ strategy.
Conclusion
The accomplishment of Colombia in achieving more than 4.58 GW of solar capacity - along with an additional 1.19 GW of solar capacity in the future - is a key landmark in the energy dynamics of Latin America. Colombia has shown that with appropriate policies and investments, solar energy can grow at a rapid rate.
Despite the good progress, much has to be done. In order to reach the 6 GW target by August 2026, Colombia needs to add 1.35 GW of solar capacity in a few months while making sure that it uses all necessary resources to avoid becoming unable to dispatch the system to commercial operation in time.
