The Caribbean Coast has been characterized by having great potential for the development of non-conventional renewable energy projects, such as solar and wind power. It is in this area where a large part of the renewable boom.
Especially, in La Guajira the speed of the wind is twice as fast than the world average, while solar radiation can be up to 60 percent higher than in other parts of the world.
(Also read: El Niño phenomenon will not cause energy rationing, but it will raise rates)
To harness this potential and attract new investors, the Caribbean Hydrogen and New Energy Association will build a project bank. In an interview with EL TIEMPO, the executive president of the union, Fanny Guerrero, told more details about this issue.
Mauricio Duenas Castañeda. EFE
Why the need to create a new energy union?
The Association of New Energies and Hydrogen in the Caribbean was created to give focused attention to the development of wind farms, solar energy and all the new technologies that are arriving with great impact in the region. Furthermore, we see that the Caribbean region has potential in hydrogenthat allow to generate economy and social development.
The Caribbean region is trying to write its new energy storyMany things are coming together that mean that the Caribbean Coast can redignify all the energy conflict that it has had for many years.
Has the potential of these unconventional energies been measured?
The high levels of radiation mean that the conditions are enabled throughout the Caribbean to generate solar energy. Regarding wind power, we are georeferenced as the area where the winds have the necessary measures, both in intensity and in permanence, which make them definitely the ideal places to carry out this type of project.
In the case of hydrogen, the fact of having all these green energy sources makes the Caribbean strong precisely in green hydrogen, but also we have gas, coal and even oil which with some transformation processes allows the production of blue hydrogen, which is very important for transport and mobility.
(Also read: El Niño Phenomenon: This is how Colombia shielded itself so as not to run out of electricity)
Atlántico Government Press
Is there interest from new investors for this type of project?
We want to find a structural solution to energy rates in the Caribbean region
We are going to work hard on the creation of a project bank to be able to collect all the power and hydrogen projects that are being done in the matter in order to make them available to national and international investors so that they can see all the offer that the Caribbean Coast has.
Additionally, we want to generate the necessary knowledge so that entrepreneurs are encouraged to see new sources of business generation in the energy and hydrogen sector. We want the Caribbean to be recognized as a region that through energy can generate new companies, jobs, ventures and innovations.
It is to give all this perspective of development to the citizen so that the wealth of all this generation of opportunities that is taking place in the Caribbean remains in the territory.
Additionally, we want to find a structural solution to energy tariffs in the Caribbean region and encourage self-generation from homes and from industries, in such a way that they depend less on grid energy and have cheaper and more environmentally sustainable energy.
When will that project bank be ready?
Our goal is to make the first launch of this collection of projects, in all its phases, in about three months to be able to find where they can continue promoting it. We hope to have projects in phase one and ready for construction.
How close is Colombia to producing green hydrogen on a commercial scale?
Fanny Guerrero, Executive President of the Caribbean Association for New Energies and Hydrogen.
Caribbean Hydrogen and New Energies Association
The country has some isolated pilots and from the association we want to promote the generation of hydrogen. Although the Caribbean region has some elements in its favor to develop hydrogen, it is also true that it has to solve some strong challenges and one of them is its electrical infrastructure for non-conventional energy that may occur to the end user.
In hydrogen everything is to be done and it is important that all this hydrogen industry can generate wealth, or generate meaning, for the ordinary citizen.
What is being done to destroy all the projects that have problems?
The second great difficulty that community managementwe still have communities that see these projects as enemies of their way of life.
As long as the National Government does not define clear policies on priority rights and the rights that communities have when there is this type of development, clearly this conflict will continue to exist because it is an issue that cannot be resolved only by the private sector and the community.
(Also read: Community blockades jeopardize the viability of a wind farm in La Guajira)
If these projects don’t start quickly, are there risks of a blackout?
Yes of course. At this time, the energy supply is leveraged in all these projects that have a date of entry into operation and that energy is being counted on to be able to satisfy the country’s demand.
Clearly, if at this moment there is not a plan b or a plan c for that energy that cannot be arriving, we may have some kind of difficulty.
Is Colombia prepared for the El Niño phenomenon?
These threats that lead to a phenomenon of the child They provided a very clear reflection to the country and, especially, to the National Government regarding the fact that we must continue to encourage thermal power.
Nor can we, under any circumstances, jeopardize the model of the Reliability Chargewhich is what gives Colombians peace of mind that in a ‘Niño’ they will have the energy service.
What should be done from the Government to give greater competitiveness to the sector?
We have had conversations with the Government and what we want is for them to know us as their main allies in the territory to develop all public policies. We hope that they will leverage us as an entity that can carry out knowledge, contribute to the development of energy communities and to capture the attention of investors.
