Colombia’s National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA) has granted the environmental licence for the 225 MW Las Palmeras Solar Park and its 500 kV transmission line in El Copey, Cesar – a cornerstone of the government’s Just Energy Transition strategy.
The project will deploy approximately 443,100 PV modules across 342 hectares of pastureland and wooded areas, including a step-up substation and 5.89 km line connecting to the Copey 500 kV national grid substation. ANLA’s approval followed rigorous review of the Environmental Impact Assessment, site visits, community consultations and additional data, determining all impacts as preventable, mitigable or manageable through a dedicated biotic compensation plan.
From the outset, developers applied a mitigation hierarchy that avoided sensitive natural ecosystems while prioritising social inclusion and territorial agency in the licensing process. The decision highlights ANLA’s newly-formed Just Energy Transition technical group and its drive to expand non-conventional renewables, diversifying Colombia’s energy matrix toward cleaner, sustainable sources.
