The smart solution that could be a gearshift for the Colombian energy sector
One of the driving forces behind efforts to bring solar energy to smaller communities across Colombia, Eduardo Ospina is a young man who has always had a clear and simple motivation. “Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to dedicate my life to solving what I believe is the biggest challenge facing humanity today: climate change. And the way I felt I could best contribute as an electrical engineer was to focus my career on bringing solar energy to people living in emerging markets.”
"If you’re starting out with these relatively small 1-2MW mini-farms you can scale up fast because you have the capacity to accommodate the power in your local grids."
Small is beautiful The spearhead of these efforts is Sol de la Sierra, an initiative developed jointly by Solenium and Ayurá, and operated in partnership with Unergy. Sol de la Sierra is made up of 40 solar PV mini-farm projects, each with a 1MW capacity that can power about 1,000 households. These so-called distributed generation projects are strategically located at sites with high solar potential (photovoltaic, or PV, panels convert sunlight directly into electricity) and connected to local distribution networks.
Having small-scale power sources located close to the point of consumption avoids the need for large, centralized power plants. Reducing Colombia’s reliance on hydro and thermoelectric plants, minimising the need for access to limited transmission lines, and enhancing grid stability.
“In Colombia, and across the world, transmission lines are extremely limited. But if you’re starting out with these relatively small 1-2MW mini-farms you can scale up fast because you have the capacity to accommodate the power in your local grids. And if that’s happening in different towns, you’re increasing access to not just energy, but clean energy, across the country.”
Scaling the model Opting for multiple mini-farms brought an additional challenge, as managing the various processes, permits securement, etcetera for 40 different units is both complex and resource- and labor-intensive. As EPG (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) contractors, Solenium have largely got round this problem by standardizing the projects wherever they can. “All the mini-farms are very similar: same size, same technology, and where possible even located in a similar landscape. By standardizing the conditions for each mini-farm as much as possible, we maximize the model’s scalability.”
Solenium also leverages new tech to good effect. “We’ve used AI to help us standardize processes; and automation to deal with the challenges of, for example, working with 40 different bureaucracies in 40 different municipalities. So we have a portfolio of 40 mini-farms but managed like they were a single largescale solar utility plant.”
Investment challenge However, while the scalable mini-farm model removed various technical barriers, it initially presented other, financial issues. “One of our main challenges was that building a single 1MW mini-farm costs about EUR 1 million. And that price tag is very big for a potential local investor, but unattractively small for a large utility company or institutional investor. That’s where FMO comes in, as a big bank that wants to invest in small but scalable initiatives like this one.” FMO made a USD 30 million loan (in local currency) to support the Sol de la Sierra project.
“EUR 1 million is a lot for a local investor, but unattractively small for a large utility company or institutional investor.”
Each mini-farm will power about 1,000 homes and create jobs locally. But the aim is to also engage with local schools and farmers to foster community development and educational opportunities. So how do Eduardo and his colleagues ensure these projects really are inclusive and genuinely benefit the local communities where they’re based?
“We’ve set a series of clear metrics. For example in terms of local employment: 70% of the jobs we create will go to local people. And that’s formalized jobs, backed up with training, so our employees acquire the transferable skills to work in solar or other energy projects in the future.”
Another metric that’s very important to the project partners is a minimum 30% of women employees at each project. “When we started out it was only men applying for our jobs and we were finding it really hard to get women to apply. Then after a while we realized this was because they assumed the jobs were only for men. So we started to put in our recruitment material that we needed men and women for these positions. It was really exciting to be able to appoint women from the local communities. And we’ve also been an inspiration to other companies in Colombia who are following our lead. It’s important in other ways, too, because in local communities in Colombia it's women who provide security for children.”
"70% of the jobs we create will go to local people. And that’s formalised jobs, backed up with training, so our employees acquire the transferable skills to work in solar or other energy projects in the future."
“If investors see we’ve gotten a green light from FMO, it simplifies their due diligence.”
Widening Horizons Eduardo stresses that FMO’s added value is far more than financial. “Obviously this deal with FMO gives us the resources to grow much faster. But another huge benefit is around standards. We were already meeting local ESG standards, but FMO have helped us develop so we now meet international ESG standards. Moving beyond local jobs and local impact to also addressing, for example, environmental issues. Working with FMO gives you their worldwide perspective. You become aware that you may be operating locally but you are part of something global.”
And with the Sol de la Sierra partners looking to expand into other countries in the region, such as Ecuador and Mexico, Eduardo believes FMO’s support can be crucial. “Having been assessed against FMO’s standardization framework means investors know that we’ve undergone FMO’s rigorous scrutiny and gotten a green light, so they don’t need to reinvent the wheel, which simplifies their due diligence processes. Basically, FMO’s involvement can only make us more attractive to potential investors.”
Bright Future Eduardo sees a bright future for distributed solar generation in his homeland’s energy mix. “In 2024 there were just 4 solar mini-farms in Colombia. Today we have 70 and the country has capacity for 2,500. So we're just at the beginning for this new market, filling the gap between self-consumption and utility scale projects. It’s a segment Unergy has effectively created in Colombia, but the market will attract many new players and grow incredibly quickly over the coming years.” Eduardo bases the number 2,500 mini-farms (producing 2.5GW) on calculations Unergy themselves have made using data based on, for example, the plans of various government agencies, the capacity of distribution lines, and expected levels of demand and growth.
History repeats Asked what advice he would give young entrepreneurs starting out in this field, Eduardo suggests taking a lesson from recent history in another sector. “Go back 12 or 15 years and the financial world was very traditional and dated. Then the FinTech revolution hit. I think right now the energy space is similarly traditional and stuck in its ways. So there are huge opportunities around digitalization, AI and the creation of new technologies that will help the sector become more scalable, cleaner and more innovative. So my advice is, take the opportunity to remove the sector’s current barriers and enable a new-look sector that can drive rapid growth in terms of clean energy, and play your part in saving the world from climate change.”
Let’s hope there are more young people out there ready to take up Eduardo’s challenge with his same winning blend of idealistic passion, technical ability, and entrepreneurial drive.
SOLENIUM
Founded in 2016, Solenium says its goal is to democratize clean energy access through innovative financing models and build a cleaner, more sustainable future through solar energy created using innovative technologies and projects. A certified B Corp company, Solenium is also committed to creating socio-environmental solutions that promote the use of renewable sources to combat climate change and preserve the environment in Latin America. In addition to its mini-farms, which are built on land unsuitable for traditional agriculture, Solenium’s other technological innovations include a solar tracking system that optimizes energy capture and an energy measurement and monitoring ecosystem that uses AI to optimize energy consumption.
UNERGY
Founded in 2020, Unergy is a CleanTech company focused on accelerating the energy transition through the development of solar mini-farms on underutilized rural land. The company transforms idle plots into productive assets that generate clean energy, local employment, and long-term economic opportunities for surrounding communities.
Unergy’s model combines renewable energy generation with regional development. The company works directly with landowners, communities, and technical partners to deploy distributed solar infrastructure where it delivers the greatest environmental and social impact. In many of its projects, Unergy implements agrovoltaic systems that enable dual land use, integrating solar production with sustainable agriculture or livestock, thereby enhancing land productivity while reducing environmental pressure. Unergy is committed to building a decentralized, inclusive, and community-driven energy transition for Latin America.
AYURA
Ayurá is a Colombian family office that has traditionally operated in the Agro Industry (specifically the flower, agriculture and cattle sectors) and more recently entered the solar energy sector, joining Solenium as a shareholder in the Sol de la Sierra project.