Colombia's ANLA gets mandate to license renewables starting at 50 MW

Colombia's environmental watchdog Autoridad Nacional de Licencias Ambientales (ANLA) said on Monday that it will assume the authority to evaluate and license renewable energy projects of 50 MW and above, effective October 2024.

This expanded responsibility follows the recent passage of Decree 0852 of July 5, 2024, which adjusted the licensing powers between ANLA and regional environmental authorities for non-conventional renewable energy projects. Previously, regional authorities handled projects between 10 MW and 99 MW, while ANLA oversaw those exceeding 100 MW.

The decision to lower the threshold for ANLA's involvement is aimed at streamlining the permitting process and accelerating the development of renewables in Colombia. According to projections from the Mining and Energy Planning Unit (UPME), an estimated 116 new projects with assigned connection points will fall under ANLA's purview.

“This is a vote of confidence in the ANLA's capabilities and we are ready to assume this commitment to sustainable development and the country's energy transition,’ said Rodrigo Negrete, director of the agency.

The decree was prepared by the ministry of environment and ANLA in collaboration with various industry stakeholders, including trade associations of power generators and renewable energy companies. The new regulation marks an important step towards a differentiated and staggered evaluation process for environmental permits, helping to boost clean energy generation and support the government's target of 6 GW of renewable energy, ANLA said.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!