Companies Aid Colombia in Going Green
Colombia is on a mission to ensure the country can cut 51% of its carbon emissions by 2030, while reaching carbon neutrality in 2050. The task is no simple feat, although homegrown companies like Ecopetrol — the name notwithstanding — have become a vital part of the country’s transition away from fossil fuels.
Three years ago, the petroleum refining company initiated its first green hydrogen production pilot project in Cartagena. The project brought a 50-kilowatt Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyzer and 270 solar panels to life to support a three-month pilot program, using industrial water from the Cartagena refinery to produce 20 kilograms of high-purity green hydrogen per day.
The project was a simple stepping stone to Ecopetrol’s larger Low-Carbon Hydrogen Plan initiative to invest up to $140 million to bring green, blue and white hydrogen production in focus by 2040. Scope 1 of this plan includes intensifying hydrogen production within current operations through industrial-scale projects by 2030.
“Today we are the largest hydrogen producer in Colombia, which we employ to produce cleaner gasoline and diesel,” said former Ecopetrol Group President Felipe Bayón at the time of the project’s announcement in 2022. “Nevertheless, we want to go further in our commitment to sustainability, which is why we have announced a robust portfolio of initiatives that seek to further develop the production capabilities of this energy resource in the country, while accelerating our carbon footprint reduction to achieve our goal to be a net-zero emissions company by 2050. This is a fundamental step on our path towards energy transition.”
In December 2024, Ecopetrol’s current President and CEO Ricardo Roa Barragán took to the company’s social media accounts to announce a $28.5 million investment to construct a new green hydrogen plant at its Cartagena refinery in the Mamonal Industrial Zone. The company noted that this investment will solidify the facility as Latin America’s largest green hydrogen production site, producing up to 800 tons per year. This amount of green hydrogen makes up just 1% of Ecopetrol’s fuel hydration process demands currently.
This project was said to be possible due to the completed construction and commissioning of a 23-megawatt solar farm inside of the refinery in April 2024. The 49-acre solar farm holds more than 40,000 solar panels capable of producing 34.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Green hydrogen produced will be used for hydrotreating fuels, reducing carbon emissions by up to 7,700 tons. The company has not announced when the facility will become operational.
“Ecopetrol has entered the modern era of producing clean fuels,” said Barragán.
Looking ahead, Ecopetrol has begun exploring initiatives within its proposed Scope 2 timeline, which includes diversifying hydrogen use within maritime and aviation mobility by 2040. In November 2024, the company completed its pilot testing catered to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Over the course of seven days Ecopetrol produced 32,000 barrels of jet fuel using palm oil and used cooking oil. Results of the pilot program have been sent for analysis to confirm compliance with international standards. Once approved, Ecopetrol will aim to begin SAF production in Cartagena by 2028.
A Sustainable Expansion
Earlier in 2024, Ohio-based glass container manufacturer O-I Glass announced the completion of its Zipaquirá facility expansion, located an hour north of Bogotá in central Colombia. The $120 million project at one of the company’s largest operations in Latin America is focused on upgrading sustainability, flexibility and productivity.
O-I is a leading global producer of glass bottles and jars, operating 68 facilities across 19 countries. The decision to expand the capabilities of the Zipaquirá plant was a strategic move to reach customers and emerging segments in the country’s food and beverage sector, while boosting energy efficiency.
Upgrades to the O-I Glass Zipaquirá facility will aid the company in reducing carbon emissions at its Colombia operations.
Image courtesy of O-I Glass
“This investment exemplifies O-I’s approach of using vision and innovation to transform how glass is made.” said O-I Glass Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer Randy Burns. “It continues our practice of intelligently applying technology to move closer to the equilibrium that sustainability represents. It is part of O-I’s commitment and strategy to achieve our stated 2030 target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25%.”
Project details included the integration of a new furnace at the site, which includes advanced oxy-fuel combustion and waste heat recovery technology. O-I’s move to install this modern furnace technology cuts nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 50% in comparison to previous air-fuel-fired furnaces. This addition will also aid the company in reducing carbon emissions by up to 15% per ton during production.
The project created 100 new jobs in the process, building on a Colombian team of over 700 employees.
“We are proud of our advancements in Zipaquirá, upgrading the sustainability, technology innovation, safety, quality and productivity of our plant,” said O-I Andean Region Managing Director Alvaro Suarez in the company’s press release. “This investment is having a positive impact on community development, aligned with our commercial strategy and the projected market growth, representing growth opportunities for our company.”
