Nine companies express interest in Colombia’s first offshore wind tender

Among the companies submitting compliance documentation to the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) to potentially participate in the tender were BlueFloat Energy, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Jan de Nul, DEME, Powerchina, China Three Gorges Corporation, Dyna Energy and Ecopetrol and Celsia in Colombia.

A final list of qualified bidders is expected to be available by December 2024. Bids for seabed leases are due to be submitted in the first half of 2025.

Colombia is hoping to develop projects off the departments of Atlántico, Bolívar, southern Magdalena and northern Sucre. The process, which is the first in Latin America, will be led by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, General Maritime Directorate (DIMAR) and the ANH.

Minister of Mines and Energy Andrés Camacho said, “We have made progress in this first process to make offshore wind in Colombia a reality.” 

DIMAR director general Vice Admiral John Fabio Giraldo Gallo said the high level of interest shown by leading companies demonstrates confidence in the Colombian process. He said he is confident that the process “will culminate to the benefit of the country’s energy matrix.”

ANH president Orlando Velandia said the response from the market “demonstrates investor confidence in the country … and their commitment to supporting the Colombian energy transition.”

As highlighted by OWJ earlier in 2024, the Colombian auction was expected to attract interest from leading developers, but analysts warn the evaluation process will be lengthy and potential offtake options for power from Colombian offshore windfarms are unclear as yet.

In late 2023 the Colombian authorities launched draft terms of reference for the first competitive process to allocate seabed areas for offshore wind. A centralised allocation system was adopted, co-ordinated by the ANH.