BlueFloat Energy has confirmed it is the company developing Vientos Alisios, which it describes as the most advanced offshore wind project in Colombia, with pre-feasibility status granted and a grid agreement connection secured
The company confirmed its role in the project as the Colombian Ministry for Mines and Energy launched a Roadmap for the Deployment of Offshore Wind Energy in Colombia on 3 May 2022.
The roadmap was developed with the support of the World Bank and the UK Government and is expected to attract significant foreign direct investment into to Colombia.
BlueFloat Energy chief executive Carlos Martín participated in the launch event for the roadmap in Barranquilla.
The Vientos Alisios project is located in waters between the Atlantic and Bolívar departments in Colombia. BlueFloat Energy is developing the project with local partner Enerxia Renovables.
Vientos Alisios was granted prefeasibility status in January 2021 and has secured an offer for a 200-MW grid connection.
In March 2022, Colombia’s Minister of Mines and Energy Diego Mesa confirmed the country is planning to build what was described at the time as the country’s first offshore windfarm.
Speaking at the CERAWeek 2022 conference in Houston, the Minister said a memorandum of understanding had been signed by an entity that is part of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and the Mayor’s Office of Barranquilla, to construct an offshore windfarm in the Caribbean.
A recent report by World Bank Group highlighted significant potential for the development of offshore wind in Colombia. The report is one of a series of offshore wind roadmaps developed by the World Bank Group under the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program and the Offshore Wind Development Programme.
The report noted that the Caribbean coast of Colombia has abundant wind resources, and a total technical potential of approximately 109 GW of offshore wind. Considering environmental, social and other constraints, the analysis reveals there are development exploration areas of approximately 50 GW. Estimated net capacity factors for representative project sites – the amount of electricity they could produce relative to their full theoretical potential – suggests some sites offshore Colombia have some of the highest in the world.
