Colombia announces the first offshore wind energy tender

The Colombian Ministry of Mining and Energy has launched the country’s first offshore wind lease round and expects to grant permits for the use of marine areas in the second half of 2023.

The Colombian government published a resolution early last week that establishes the rules, requirements and conditions for bidding procedures for marine areas, in which wind power developers will compete for temporary permits to occupy a coastal area.

Colombia’s national maritime authority DIMAR has selected coastal areas of Bolívar and Atlántico departments as sites for the first round of leasing. There, developers will be able to build wind farms with an installed capacity of at least 200 MW.

Winning bidders will be entitled to a 30-year concession, which can be extended for no more than 15 years. They will also have to start up their wind farms within ten years of obtaining the temporary permit.

The competition will begin once the administrator of the process is determined.

Colombia’s offshore wind potential is estimated at 50 GW, the government said in the national offshore wind energy roadmap, the final version of which was published in early May.
On Saturday, President-elect Petro named philosopher and university professor Irene Vélez as the new minister of mining and energy.