Ecopetrol and Frontera Energy have launched the Quifa Solar Farm in Puerto Gaitán, Meta, with a 50.1 MW capacity. Supported by over 81,800 solar panels, it will generate 76.1 GWh annually to power oil fields and supply energy equivalent to 42,000 homes. The initiative cuts CO₂ emissions by about 11,500 tons per year.
The Quifa Solar Farm has begun operations as part of Ecopetrol's energy transition efforts, in partnership with Frontera Energy. Located in Puerto Gaitán, Meta, it will supply renewable energy to the Quifa, Rubiales, and Caño Sur oil fields through a hybrid model integrating clean sources into hydrocarbon production.
With 50.1 MW installed capacity, the farm will produce 76.1 GWh yearly, enough for 42,000 homes, Ecopetrol reported. It optimizes operating costs and reduces reliance on fossil fuels for internal generation. The project will also cut CO₂ emissions by around 11,500 tons annually, equivalent to removing 4,300 gasoline vehicles from roads.
Construction generated 580 direct jobs, 82% with local labor, including 122 women and 20 female heads of household. Ecopetrol noted that it positions Colombia as a leader in upstream decarbonization and marks the company's second-largest solar project with Frontera Energy.
"Technological innovation, emission reductions, local job creation, integration with hydrocarbon operations, and strict environmental and industrial safety commitments position this initiative as a benchmark in Latin America," Ecopetrol stated. Juan Carlos Hurtado, interim president of Ecopetrol, and Orlando Cabrales, CEO of Frontera Energy, attended the launch.
