In a historic move for the shift to clean energy sources in Latin America, Colombia has generated more solar-generated power than coal on an annual basis for the first time. The final data from the Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME) show that Colombia generated 4,473.8 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity from solar, going over the 3,564.2 GWh generated from coal by an impressive 25%.
The changing generation structure in Colombia represents a huge change for a country that has always constructed large hydroelectric dams and thermal plants for generating power. This confirms the movement of photovoltaic (PV) technology from marginal involvement to an increasing growing part of the overall electricity system.
"This is a milestone in the history of energy of Colombia," said the UPME's director Indira Portocarrero when the results were released. "Colombia has generated more electrical energy by using the sun than by using coal. This marks a breaking point in the profile of electricity generation in Colombia."
A 1,650% Growth Trajectory
Remarkably fast progress is being made with regards to solar power generation in Colombia. Between August 2022 and December 2022, there were only 255.4 gigawatt hours (GWh) of solar generation output. By the end of 2023, solar generation had multiplied by over five times with a total of 1,205.2 GWh of electricity generated. Solar generation will have increased by a factor of nearly three over the course of 2024 to reach 3,297.2 GWh, a record-high figure of generated renewable clean energy for Colombia. Solar energy will have contributed approximately 4,473.8 GWh of renewable energy to the country's electricity system by 2025.
"It is a great news story in the context of climate change," President Petro posted on X (formerly Twitter). "We have grown solar energy generation 1,650% in this government. We have already surpassed electricity generation from coal; we must now completely surpass electricity generation with gas and oil liquids".
According to UPME (the Colombian Energy and Natural Resources Agency), several factors have contributed to this increase in generation from solar sources. Most importantly, many of the stalled projects that were unable to be built due to problems with the permitting process for new solar farms have finally progressed in the construction and permitting processes to generate solar power. Also, the positive hydrological conditions during 2025 reduced the need for thermal backup generation sources when producing electricity through renewables, thus allowing renewables to capture more than 20% of Columbia's electricity market in total generation.
From 2% to 17%: Reshaping the Matrix
The growth and expansion of solar energy as being used for energy production in Colombia over coal is just one of many signs of a more structurally iterative transformation. As a result of the years of delay and difficulty associated with bringing online non-conventional renewable energy (including solar, wind and small hydropower) supply and installation options for consumers of electricity, there will over 4 gigawatts (GW) of installed non-conventional renewable energy capacity by the end of 2025, while renewable energy supplies accounted for 17.09% of Colombia's total electricity consumption in 2005; a quantum leap compared to only 2.0% of total consumption for renewables (excluding large hydroelectric projects) only a few years earlier at the end of 2022 in Colombia.
In this collection of renewable energy projects, solar energy is the clear leader, comprising nearly 80% (technically, just over 80%) of the whole, or approximately 3,987 MW (that's a lot!). The two major projects responsible for this expansion are Guayepo Solar Park (486 MW) and La Loma Solar Park (187 MW), both of which developed significant new capacity for grid-based use in a very short time.
There have also been a number of recent additions that have contributed to these expanding numbers. For example, the new Atlántico Solar Park (180 MW), which contains 403,920 PV panels on a tracking system, started testing in the first week of March. Once it's operational, it's anticipated to provide clean energy for approximately 800,000 residents living in the northern cities of Usiacurí and Sabanalarga. In addition, just this week, the 148 MW Escobales solar power project in Tolima, built by PowerChina and Cubico Investments, became fully connected to the national grid and increased the capacity to produce more than 260 GWh of electricity annually.
Regional Expansion and the Road Ahead
The transition is not confined to a single region. The renewable energy sector in Colombia has seen an increase in the number of operational renewable energy projects across the country's 32 departments. The Caribbean region, especially the Atlántico department, has the majority of renewable energy generation with almost 950 MW online. Additionally, central Colombian departments including Tolima and Cundinamarca, as well as eastern plains in Meta and Casanare have added significant amounts of renewable energy generation to their respective departments.
Despite the positive news around 2025's generation statistics, industry leaders have warned that these numbers do not mean that the industry can slow down its growth. Alexandra Hernández, President of SER Colombia, stated that we must continue to press forward if we want to mitigate future risks to our supply chain. "Colombia has shown it can make the transition to renewable energy, but now we need to speed up," she stated. "We need to resolve the regulatory and financial bottlenecks that have kept the pace of our growth from matching the level we need in order to maintain energy security and remain competitive in the future."
The data highlights this urgency. Colombia is on track to have over 4.2 GW of renewable energy installed by the end of 2026, however, there are still around 5,086 MW of renewable power projects that have not been able to close on financing. Moreover, there needs to be an additional 6 GW of generation in the wholesale market in Colombia and investment of approximately $5 billion in renewable energy over the next few years in order to avoid structural challenges in the sector.
Public Support and Policy Levers
Public sentiment is firmly behind the transition, with surveys showing 96% of Colombians support the expansion of solar PV . To translate this support into tangible assets, the government is preparing new policy mechanisms. A forthcoming long-term renewable energy auction will introduce time-of-delivery blocks and, for the first time, requirements for battery energy storage systems (BESS) to help integrate solar power into the grid more effectively.
Minister of Mines and Energy Edwin Palma framed the transition within a broader vision of social and economic development. "With the production from this solar plant, clean energy now consolidates itself as a growing pillar for development and well-being across the country," he said following the launch of the Atlántico park, adding that the sector is committed to an "orderly, secure and sustainable energy transition".
The displacement of coal by solar in annual generation is not just a statistical curiosity; it is a powerful signal to investors and policymakers that Colombia's energy future is being rewritten. While thermal plants running on coal may still be called upon during dry periods or El Niño events, the long-term trend is now unmistakable: in the race for Colombia's electricity mix, the sun is pulling ahead.
