Interview with Juliana Tascón, new Country Manager for Colombia

Introducing our new Country Manager for Colombia, Juliana Tascón.

Juliana, until last June, has been the Country Manager of Solarpack in Colombia for 6 years. With more than 20 years in the renewable energy sector, we welcome her to Ecoener.

With more than 20 years of experience in the industry of renewable energies, what can you tell us about your experience over the years in companies such as SolarPack or Enel Green Power?

Actually, my experience in the industry of renewable energies started in Mexico, when I worked for the Mexican energy regulator and started to learn about policies to encourage investment in this type of technologies. Later, back in Colombia, I have applied all that knowledge and experience in the private sector to “land” those promotion policies and turn them into renewable MW at the service of the Colombian electricity system.

In your opinion, what is the current state of the Colombian electricity market? And in Latin America?

Colombia has a consolidated electricity market that has been private for nearly 30 years. Since then, institutions have been respected and systemic risks have been mitigated through a solid, reliable technical-economic regulation, which has provided the legal security that has attracted the necessary private investment to guarantee the energy demand. However, the current electricity system is facing tightness between energy supply and demand, which requires greater investment in generation. This is where we, as Ecoener, have the opportunity to continue to grow in the Colombian electricity market.

You have been a senior consultant for many years, what are some of the highlights of your experience and of what you have seen in the industry? (Regarding legal and regulatory issues, due diligence, PPAs).

It has been interesting to hold different positions in the sector: consulting, public sector, investment, and IPP. From my point of view, I think that being part of the private sector has been very enriching as an investor and IPP. Though it implies huge challenges, it is also very satisfactory to see that you can implement policies and electricity theory through the projects you carry out to provide the system with clean energy.

You have set up the Renewable Energy Association in Colombia. What is its purpose and what advantages does it offer to companies?

This initiative emerged from the need for Colombia to have a space or platform for growth and positioning that would represent the interests of non-conventional renewable energy and that would be representative with the public sector, associations, chambers, and private organisations, both national and international.

The Sunnorte photovoltaic plant is now in test operation. Tell us about this major milestone for Ecoener.

It is definitely an indisputable sign of Ecoener’s commitment to energy transition in Colombia and, of course, the consolidation of our entry into this country. It is also a milestone we should be proud of: we will be among the first solar PV plants with a central dispatch model in commercial operation in the Colombian electricity system. This means that we are playing in the big leagues of non-conventional renewable energy generation in Colombia.

What are your prospects for Ecoener in Colombia?

We project ourselves as a benchmark for non-conventional renewable energy generation and as drivers of the energy transition in Colombia.