Colombia faces significant challenges in its energy system, including dependence on hydroelectric sources (72 percent of electricity generation depends on water) and high vulnerability to the El Niño and La Niña climate phenomena. This situation, along with the need to accelerate national climate action to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement, particularly through the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), aims to limit emissions to a maximum of 169.44 million MtCO2eq by 2030, equivalent to a 51 percent reduction compared with projected 2030 emissions in the baseline scenario.
Energy Communities (ECs) contribute to Colombia’s Long-Term Climate Strategy (E2050), which aims to achieve a carbon-neutral, resilient society by 2050 through promoting the diversification of the energy matrix and the use of renewables, especially in Non-Interconnected Zones (NIZ) with high energy poverty, where communities depend heavily on diesel and where reliance on this fuel is unsustainable for decarbonization. Furthermore, this dependence has negative impacts on human health, increasing exposure to gases and particles, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and cancer risk.
The Energy Communities Strategy, launched in 2024 by the national government, aims to reduce energy poverty, democratize energy generation, and promote citizen participation, in line with the roadmap for the Just Energy Transition ( JET). In response to the impacts of a changing climate, Energy Communities are an emerging strategy with great potential to strengthen climate resilience in Colombia, especially in rural contexts and territories affected by climate change and social inequality, thereby guaranteeing access to clean, reliable, and secure energy for all. These communities enable citizens, local businesses, and authorities to collaborate in the generation, commercialization, and consumption of Non-Conventional Renewable Energy Sources (NCRES), renewable fuels, and distributed energy resources, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and increasing energy self-sufficiency.
This working paper published by WRI presents an analysis of ECs’ design for climate resilience, grounded in a conceptual framework that examines the interrelationships among energy, water, and food. This analysis identifies and proposes pathways to enhance the long-term sustainability of community energy initiatives and guides their design through a multidimensional, comprehensive analysis that goes beyond energy alone. The study included a literature review on the subject, dialogues with four pilot ECs across the national territory, and coordination with national and subnational actors to discuss implementing this strategy in Colombia.
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