Colombia targets the hidden heat underground to generate clean energy, while Ecopetrol bets on an 80 MW geothermal project capable of producing 610 GWh per year and supplying users across an entire department in the south of the country.

Written by Carla Teles

Published on 22/05/2026 at 14:57

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With clean energy at the center of the strategy, Ecopetrol has started a geothermal project in Nariño, in the Azufral region, with a potential of 80 MW and 610 GWh annually. The initiative targets underground heat, diversification of the Colombian matrix, and supply equivalent to the users of a department in the south of the country.

Clean energy gained a new chapter in Colombia with the formal start of a geothermal project by Ecopetrol in the department of Nariño, in the south of the country. The initiative, presented in July 2025, seeks to evaluate a potential of 80 MW from the natural heat stored underground.

According to a report by Noticias Ambientales, the project is located in the Azufral region, covering the municipalities of Guachucal, Mallama, Santacruz, Sapuyes, and Túquerres. According to the released data, the generation could reach 610 GWh per year, a volume equivalent to the electrical consumption of users throughout the department.

Underground heat enters the center of the Colombian strategy

Ecopetrol's clean energy project uses geothermal energy in Colombia and reinforces energy transition in Nariño. — **Image:** Noticias Ambientales / Reproduction.

Ecopetrol’s bet places geothermal energy in a more visible position within Colombia’s clean energy agenda. Unlike solar and wind generation, more known to the public, the geothermal source takes advantage of the Earth’s internal heat to produce energy.

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80 MW Project aims for annual production of 610 GWh

The strongest point of the announcement lies in the projected scale. Ecopetrol reported that the geothermal project could reach 80 MW of capacity, with an estimated annual production of 610 GWh. For an initiative based on underground heat, this number places Azufral among the strategic points of the Colombian energy transition.

The estimate was also associated with the electricity consumption of users in the department of Nariño. This does not mean that the energy is already being delivered, but it indicates the size of the potential that the company intends to assess in the south of the country.

Ecopetrol seeks to diversify its matrix beyond fossil fuels

Ecopetrol, a state-owned company historically linked to oil and gas, has been expanding its presence in clean and renewable energy projects. In the announcement, the company’s president, Ricardo Roa, stated that the initiative represents a step forward to diversify the energy matrix and support more sustainable operations.

The company also reported that it has integrated 1,300 MW of renewable power in two years and plans to install 3.3 GW before August 2026, within the cycle of the current Colombian government. Geothermal energy enters this scenario as a complementary front, alongside solar, wind, and hydrogen projects.

Geothermal energy emerges amid climate and energy pressure

The event also featured Gustavo Petro, who advocated the importance of clean sources in the face of the climate crisis. In his speech, he highlighted the role of geothermal energy in vaporizing water to drive turbines and emphasized the urgency of accelerating the energy transition.

The statement carries political weight because it connects the Azufral project to a broader national agenda. The discussion is not limited to electricity generation, but involves energy security, emission reduction, and the future of the Colombian economy in a scenario of pressure for decarbonization.

Green hydrogen is also part of the same agenda

In addition to geothermal energy, Ecopetrol is advancing in the construction of a green hydrogen plant announced in December and scheduled for inauguration in 2026. The project is expected to produce 800 tons of hydrogen annually, using solar energy from the Cartagena Refinery.

This plant will be powered by a solar capacity of 22 MW and is expected to reduce 7,700 tons of CO₂ equivalent per year, a volume compared to the emissions of 1,650 vehicles. With this, Colombia attempts to combine different technologies within the same clean energy strategy.

Colombia seeks regional space in renewable sources

The initiative in Nariño reinforces Colombia’s attempt to position itself as a regional reference in renewable sources. By including geothermal energy in the project portfolio, the country broadens the debate beyond more traditional sources and tests the use of underground heat as an energy asset.

This movement also strengthens Ecopetrol’s role in a complex transition: a company associated with fossil fuels begins to invest in lower-emission alternatives. The challenge will be to transform announcements and estimates into real generation, with technical, environmental, and economic viability.

What still needs to be observed

Despite the announced potential, the Azufral geothermal project still depends on evaluations and technical stages to confirm its real capacity. Factors such as implementation cost, drilling, environmental impact, transmission infrastructure, and generation stability will be decisive in measuring the initiative’s reach.

Even so, the bet places clean energy at the center of an important discussion for Latin America: how to take advantage of local resources to reduce emissions without compromising supply. Do you believe that geothermal energy can gain ground in the region, or will it still lag behind solar and wind? Leave your opinion in the comments.

Colombia targets the hidden heat underground to generate clean energy, while Ecopetrol bets on an 80 MW geothermal project capable of producing 610 GWh per year and supplying users across an entire department in the south of the country.

Underground heat enters the center of the Colombian strategy

80 MW Project aims for annual production of 610 GWh

Ecopetrol seeks to diversify its matrix beyond fossil fuels

Geothermal energy emerges amid climate and energy pressure

Green hydrogen is also part of the same agenda

Colombia seeks regional space in renewable sources

What still needs to be observed

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Colombia targets the hidden heat underground to generate clean energy, while Ecopetrol bets on an 80 MW geothermal project capable of producing 610 GWh per year and supplying users across an entire department in the south of the country.

Underground heat enters the center of the Colombian strategy

80 MW Project aims for annual production of 610 GWh

Ecopetrol seeks to diversify its matrix beyond fossil fuels

Geothermal energy emerges amid climate and energy pressure

Green hydrogen is also part of the same agenda

Colombia seeks regional space in renewable sources

What still needs to be observed

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With a diameter of 15.08 meters, a length of 182 meters, and weighing 3900 tons, the world’s largest tunnel boring machine for drilling super hard rock made a 9 km tunnel in Georgia and impresses with its excavation power.

Material once seen as a poor man’s choice returns as a climate bet, with red clay replacing part of the gray concrete in modern buildings, hospitals, houses, and a cultural center that transforms tradition into a solution against urban heat.

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