Transición Energética en Colombia: Propuestas para Promoverla a Partir del Potencial de las Energías Renovables y su Nivel de Implementación Actual en el País

Abstract

In December 2015, following COP21 in Paris, an international agreement was signed that established the goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels before the end of this century, and if possible, limit it to 1.5 degrees. The Glasgow COP26, which took place in November 2021, ratified the commitment to achieve the so-called Carbon Neutrality by 2050 (Acosta, 2022). To achieve this goal, the main tool is the energy transition, that is, switching from an energy system based on fossil fuels to one with low carbon emissions, based on renewable energy sources (Enel Green Power, 2022). The development of renewable energies seeks an improvement in the level of well-being of the population, since it is based on the use of energies that mitigate GHG emissions, which directly impacts the moderation of climate change. Additionally, a broad portfolio of renewable energies allows the diversification of a country's energy matrix, with the consequent increase in its energy security. This paper analyzed the potential of renewable energies that the country has, and based on said analysis, a series of proposals are made leading to determining which are the most appropriate renewable energies to explore and exploit in a given region from the country. The aforementioned analysis is based on the particular characteristics of each region of Colombia, such as geographic location, meteorological data, number of inhabitants, energy demand, energy supply, whether or not there is a connection with the National Interconnected System (SIN), etc. Special emphasis is placed on showing that the country's energy matrix is one of the cleanest in the world, due to its high hydraulic component: The energy obtained through hydraulic resources is considered renewable (IEA, 2022), a fact that shows that the energy transition in Colombia is not It is carried out both for reasons of an environmental nature (an energy matrix as clean as the Colombian one allows easy compliance with the environmental commitments acquired in the international arena), if not for eminently socioeconomic reasons. The energy transition allows the entire population access to quality energy services and give the country greater energy security, since in the event of prolonged droughts, which implies a decrease in hydraulic generation, there would be solid support from of renewable energies. A methodology based on bibliographic research and the corresponding analysis of the information obtained was used.