• The President of Colombia, Ivan Duque, presided over the inauguration of the “Celsia Solar La Paila” solar farm, which has 29,000 9.9 MW-capacity photovoltaic panels.
• These generate 34% renewable energy at the Colombina Confectionary Production Plant in La Paila, Zarzal.
• It is slated to save 10,579 tons of CO₂ annually: during its 25-year service-life it will prevent the emission of 264,475 tons of CO₂.
• All surplus energy from the Confectionary Production Plant will get re-routed to the Colombian population through the National Interconnected System.
• During the peak of its construction, 152 jobs were generated: 57% local labor, 14% women.
• The project was a $35-billion COP investment.

December 22, 2021 - Colombina is a multi-generational food company located in Colombia’s Department of Valle del Cauca – a crucial eco-agricultural cradle for the nation. Colombina has been in business for 90 years and generates over 5,500 jobs around the nation. Its iconic candies get exported to consumers in 90 countries around the world. Now, these sweets are manufactured using cleaner more sustainable energy, thanks to its “Celsia Solar La Paila” solar farm in Zarzal, in the northern sector of Valle del Cauca. This $35-billion COP project provides energy to the Colombina Confectionary Production Plant. All surplus energy from the Confectionary Production Plant will get re-routed to the Colombian population through the National Interconnected System.
 
The President of Colombia, Ivan Duque, and the Minister of Mines and Energy, Diego Mesa, along with other government cabinet members, visited the “Celsia Solar La Paila” solar farm today. This is Celsia's 6th industrial-client solar farm: 4 in Colombia and 2 in Central America. Celsia and Colombina hosted a plant tour highlighting its benefits.
 
At the solar-farm inauguration, Colombian President Duque announced today’s passing of the Colombian Climate Action Law. "We are the second most biodiverse country on the planet and at the same time one of the most threatened by climate change. Our Climate Action Law sets one of our most pressing objectives for the coming decades of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Our second, but more immediate target, is to cut our greenhouse-gas emissions by 51% as of 2030. To this task at hand, our most significant measure is energy transition – an eloquent transformation: at the beginning of this administration, we had 28 MW of non-conventional renewable energies, however by next year, we will have given our nation over 2,800 MW as of December 2022. That is 100 times more than in August 2018. All this is fostered by public-private partnerships. Today, Celsia is our nation’s leader in NCRE. This, is the sustainable Colombia we are building as a people."
 
The Minister of Mines and Energy, Diego Mesa, pointed out three salient points in Colombia’s energy-transition plan encompassed in its Climate Action Law: “First, the widespread use of NCRE spurred on by national policy, such as what we are witnessing here today on this solar farm: we currently have 19 large-scale solar farms, over 10 self-generation projects, and over 2,500 small-scale projects in various municipalities around the nation for a total of 700 MW for 2021. Second, we have now changed the lives of 64,000 families, who had previously lived off the grid. And third, we aim to become Climate-change Leaders in our nation’s transition to NCREs by pursuing carbon neutrality by 2050. Our Ministry has already been certified carbon neutral from the measures it has undertaken in the sector”.
 
The President of Colombina, Cesar Caicedo, announced, “Colombina is enormously proud in inaugurating its second solar farm. This is a really big milestone for us, because it represents our contribution to efficient greenhouse-gas emission reduction. With this latest farm, 25% of Colombina's total energy consumption will come from NCRE sources.”
 
Head of Celsia, Ricardo Sierra, said: "These inaugurations always infuse us with enthusiasm because our solar farms lend companies ‘that competitive edge’ - in this case, our emblematic and beloved Colombina. We are allied with Cubico – a Canadian dual pension-investment fund that happens to believe in our nation. Next year, we are slated to set up over 30 more solar farms for around 300 MW. This will generate over 5,000 jobs during their construction phases. In 3 or 4 years, we will be generating 1 GW. Another great piece of news is that Celsia will become one of the nation’s 1^st carbon-neutral companies – a real milestone for an energy company! Over the past 4 years, we have cut our own emissions by 76%. This GHG savings goes hand-in-hand with our “ReverdeC” re-forestation program, which as of 2022, will have planted 10 million trees. And the icing on the cake - yesterday we signed a $500 billion ESG loan with Bancolombia. At Celsia, we believe the phrase “energy transition” is already starting to become immaterial, because our nation is already producing 80% of its energy in renewables – we are already at the goal line! We should feel very proud”.

From left-to-right: The President of Colombia, Ivan Duque, the President of Celsia, Ricardo Sierra, and the President of Colombina, Cesar Caicedo, autographing a symbolic solar panel.
 
“Celsia Solar La Paila” data
 

• 13,69 hectares
• 57 investors

About Celsia – The Energy You Want!
 
Celsia’s spirited dedication to renewable energy coupled with energy efficiency has taken it from Colombia, into Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras. Celsia harnesses renewable energy from our sun, water and wind and features thermal back-up energy storage. Celsia delivers energy-efficiency so your home, company or urban project can tap into and take advantage of the full benefits of The New Era of Energy. Celsia is a utility operator for over 1,100,000 clients throughout 39 municipalities around the Department of Valle del Cauca, and in 47 municipalities in the Department of Tolima.