- 1Utrecht University, Corpernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geoscience, Netherlands
- 2Technical University of Denmark, Department of Wind and Energy Systems, Denmark
- 3TNO Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, Netherlands
Offshore wind energy can play a significant role in meeting Colombia's electricity demand and decarbonising its energy system. This study explores the techno-economic potential of wind energy in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. We develop a methodological framework that uses scenario analysis to evaluate area availability for offshore wind energy, assess the technical potential at a regional scale and estimate the cost of technology deployment.
To analyse the available area, technical, environmental, social and traditional offshore activity constraints were considered. We formulated three scenarios with different levels of restrictions and potential offshore activity co-existence. For the available area in each scenario, the annual energy production was estimated using bias-corrected wind-speed data from the ERA5 reanalysis and the power curve of the 15 MW IEA turbine model. To estimate a spatially explicit LCOE, we build a cost structure from recent literature in which water depth, distance to onshore connection and turbine rating are the key variables of the cost functions.
The LCOE map reveals promising areas for wind energy development, many of which are located close to the coastline and shallow waters. However, it was found that under a scenario of high restrictions, the area is significantly reduced, and a large portion of the potential would be located in deeper waters and farther from the coastline, where the LCOE is higher, making the technology less competitive. Even though the technical potential would be sufficient to meet all of Colombia's installed capacity projected by 2050, the economically viable potential would be a fraction of it.
Our study presents an analysis that helps to understand the impact of various space management options on resource assessment and costs of offshore wind deployment. These results offer valuable insights to policymakers currently generating the country's policy and regulation for offshore wind development.
How to cite: Suarez Bermudez, L., Hahmann Robinovich, A., Faaij, A., and Ramirez Camargo, L.: Exploring the potential of wind energy in the Caribbean Sea, Colombia., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-15108, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-15108, 2025.
