Colombia Solar unveils new regulations to expand access to clean energy in vulnerable households
This press release was published in English using an automatic translation system
The Ministry of Mines and Energy published the new regulations for the Colombia Solar program, which strengthen the technical, financial, and operational conditions to expand access to clean energy in the country’s most vulnerable households and consolidate self-generation as a tool to reduce the cost of energy service.
The resolution, which is in the comment phase, replaces the regulations issued this year and incorporates new guidelines for the implementation of the program, defining the rules for the administration of resources, the operation and maintenance of photovoltaic solar systems, as well as the criteria for targeting and prioritizing beneficiaries.
The program is aimed at users in socioeconomic strata 1, 2, and 3 of the National Interconnected System and will prioritize investments using indicators such as the Multidimensional Poverty Index, the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index, the cost of the energy service, user coverage, and the solar radiation potential of each department.
The new regulation also guarantees that beneficiaries will continue receiving the subsidies established by law while the program reaches full implementation, preventing any impact on access to energy service.
“With Colombia Solar we want thousands of families to go from being only energy consumers to also becoming generators. This new regulation allows us to accelerate access to clean energy, reduce the cost of the service for the most vulnerable households, and consolidate an energy transition that directly benefits the people”, said the minister of Mines and Energy, Edwin Palma.
It also establishes mechanisms to ensure the operation, maintenance, and replacement of photovoltaic systems throughout their useful life, strengthening the program’s sustainability and the efficient use of public resources.
“We are building a solid program, with technical criteria so that investments first reach the regions with the greatest needs. Colombia Solar also combats energy poverty and strengthens the country’s energy security,” Palma emphasized.
With this regulatory update, the national Government consolidates Colombia Solar as one of the main instruments of the Just Energy Transition, aimed at democratizing access to renewable energies, strengthening the resilience of the electrical system, and improving the quality of life of thousands of Colombian families.