Ecopetrol inaugurated the La Iguana solar farm in Yondó,
Antioquia, a 26-megawatt installation supplying renewable energy to
the Barrancabermeja refinery and Casabe and Llanito oilfields,
El Tiempo reported.
The facility comprises 42,840 solar panels across 26 hectares,
generating an estimated 42.2 gigawatt-hours annually—equivalent to
powering 23,500 Colombian homes, according to Ecopetrol statements.
The installation will substitute approximately 6% of the energy
these assets currently purchase from the National Interconnected
System, whilst freeing 1.09 giga-BTU of natural gas daily.
The solar farm will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by
approximately 26,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to removing 9,500
vehicles from Bogotá's streets. 'This solar farm is a firm step in
our vision to make Ecopetrol increasingly efficient, focused on
guaranteeing the country's energy security and sovereignty, and the
transition toward cleaner fuels,' President Ricardo Roa stated.
La Iguana's commissioning enables Ecopetrol to surpass its
renewable capacity target significantly ahead of schedule. The
company reported reaching 950MW of installed renewable capacity by
December 2025, a goal originally established for 2030. Roa stated
the accelerated timeline delivered energy savings approaching COP15
trillion ($4bn), allowing the firm to advance energy transition
without compromising financial stability.
Construction generated 286 jobs, with 221 positions filled by
local workers, including 39 women, 29 of whom are household heads.
Ecopetrol implemented complementary social initiative,s including
technical training for 120 women through Sena, academic support for
160 eleventh-grade students preparing for Saber examinations, and
COP800mn ($213,000) invested in renovating La Patria Educational
Institution's roof.
The project forms part of Barrancabermeja refinery's COP4
trillion ($1.07bn) investment programme for 2024-2026 aimed at
ensuring energy security and transitioning toward cleaner fuels.
Ecopetrol projects contracting an additional 2,500MW in solar and
wind projects for integration during 2026.
La Iguana represents Ecopetrol's strategy to diversify its
energy matrix amid Colombia's energy transition push under
President Gustavo Petro. The state-controlled oil company, which
generates 728,000 barrels daily, faces pressure to accelerate
decarbonisation as the government phases out new fossil fuel
exploration whilst promoting renewable energy development.
Colombia's renewable energy capacity reached 3,500MW in 2024,
with solar and wind representing approximately 8% of the generation
matrix. The National Energy Plan targets 18% renewable penetration
by 2030, requiring an estimated $16bn in investments according to
Mining and Energy Ministry projections.
Ecopetrol operates two additional solar farms: Castilla (9.9MW)
in the Meta department and Rubiales (39.6MW) shared between the
Meta and Casanare departments, contributing to the company's
renewable portfolio alongside wind projects in La Guajira.
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