Colombia could announce a new licensing process for offshore wind areas by the end of the year, just weeks after its first auction drew only one offer, according to a senior energy official.
Orlando Velandia, head of national hydrocarbons agency ANH, said the entity is in talks with the energy ministry with a view to relaunching bidding in December.
“We are reviewing the possibility of moving ahead with a new round with new areas before the end of the year, but we’re still looking at it,” Velandia said at an event in Cartagena.
Denmark’s CI GMF Cooperatief UA was the sole bidder in October’s auction – the first of its type in Latin America – despite being among eight groups that qualified to participate.
Velandia rejected suggestions the auction – which offered eight-year temporary occupation permits convertible into 30-year concessions – represented a missed opportunity for Colombia’s energy transition goals.
“There are a lot of people saying it was a failure because there was only one bid,” he said. “The United Kingdom declared its process void because no one submitted a bid, and we’re talking about the United Kingdom.
“Brazil suspended its process and reversed it because there were no offers. Being able to carry out our first round and already have an area assigned, based on what we know of the proposal — close to half a gigawatt — that means we’ve taken a huge step.”
Velandia said adjustments would be made based on feedback from companies that qualified for the previous process, without providing details.
“What we’re going to review is where there may have been concerns or questions, where we can improve the processes, and I believe it will also be successful with the adjustments we are going to make,” he added.
Meanwhile, Velandia said the proposal by CI GMF Cooperatief UA, a subsidiary of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, would likely be approved by December.
“Everything indicates that the award will be viable because all the requirements are being met, but we’re going to follow the full schedule and analyses,” he said.
