Celsia Opens 19.9MW Solar Farm in Colombia for Hygiene Firm

In a significant boost to Colombia’s renewable energy landscape, utility company Celsia announced the commissioning of a new 19.9 MW solar power station in August 2024. Located in Puerto Tejada, in the Cauca department, the facility is dedicated to supplying clean energy to a major manufacturing plant operated by hygiene and personal care giant Grupo Familia, an Essity company.

The solar farm, spanning 39.5 hectares, is engineered for a 30-year lifespan and is a key component of Grupo Familia’s sustainability strategy. It is projected to meet 43.8% of the factory’s total energy requirements. Equipped with 49,350 photovoltaic panels, the installation will displace over 1,400 tons of CO2 emissions each year—an environmental benefit comparable to the carbon absorption of a 140-hectare pine forest. Any excess electricity generated will be fed into Colombia’s National Interconnected System, supporting grid stability.

This project is the result of a strategic investment platform between Celsia and Cubico Sustainable Investments, which focuses on developing large-scale solar projects in Colombia. The construction phase of the Puerto Tejada farm created 295 local jobs, contributing to economic development in the region.

Diego Loaiza, CEO of Grupo Familia, described the inauguration as a major achievement. “We are very proud to be able to inaugurate our first solar farm in the country, which undoubtedly represents a milestone for us and demonstrates our interest in building more sustainable and circular societies,” he stated. “This commitment to solar energy is in line with our sustainability strategy and commitment to reduce environmental impact… and achieve zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”

The new solar farm is a concrete step towards Essity’s ambitious climate targets, which include a 35% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 from a 2016 baseline. The company has already reduced these emissions by 26% between 2016 and 2023, earning it a place on Corporate Knights’ Global 100 list of most sustainable companies.

Luis Felipe Vélez, Celsia’s commercial leader, emphasized the project’s broader impact. “In a context in which there is still talk of energy transition… these types of efforts contribute to the generation of national progress and development, and to the competitiveness of allied companies, which translates into greater efficiencies and a smaller carbon footprint.” The Cauca plant powered by the new farm employs 580 people and exports over 320 different products across the Americas.

Sources

1. La Mesa Solar Complex (59.7MW) – Colombia | Energy …
2. Celsia Begins Construction on Major Colombian Solar Farm
3. Celsia and Chevron Forge Solar Partnership for Sustainable Energy …
4. Latin America PV News Snippets: Wood Mackenzie’s Elissa Pierce …
5. La Victoria solar farm (Colombia) – Global Energy Monitor – GEM.wiki
6. [PDF] Colombian Technology Catalogue – Ministerio de Minas y Energía
7. Power plant profile: Solar La Victoria 4 PV Park, Colombia
8. Power plant profile: Celsia-Chicamocha Solar PV Park- 3, Colombia