Colombia will receive offers for offshore wind blocks in August 2024, according to a timeline published by the government on Friday, following a presentation it gave to private companies and European government representatives.
The government of President Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first leftist leader, has said he intends to wean the Andean country off its dependence on fossil fuel revenues while ensuring energy self-sufficiency.
Companies have announced more than 50 proposed wind and solar projects in Colombia since 2019. Though many were meant to be operating this year or last, none are.
Wind and solar provide less than 1% of Colombia's power generation. Hydroelectric generation accounts for 70%.
Delays have dogged the offshore wind licensing process, with tender documents originally slated for publication in August 2023.
National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) documents now set the bidding date for the offshore blocks at Aug. 2.
Representatives from European governments, private companies, and industry groups were invited to a presentation on Friday regarding the bidding round and legal requirements, according to two sources and a document seen by Reuters.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy published this month draft modifications to rules governing the process of licensing offshore wind farms which would require bidders to "present a shareholding agreement with the Colombian state company," without specifying which company.
One of the documents included a form allowing private businesses to declare a "consortium or promise of future partnership" with the unnamed state company.
Last month, three sources told Reuters that Colombia's government was looking to make state-run oil company Ecopetrol ECO.CN an obligatory partner for all offshore wind projects, without specifying how big any stake might be. The ministry has not responded to previous questions about Ecopetrol.
(Reuters - Reporting by Oliver Griffin; Editing by Rod Nickel)
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