Colombia wins offshore wind bid by CIP of Denmark

The head of Colombia's hydrocarbons agency announced on Thursday that a subsidiary from Denmark's Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, CIP, had bid to develop a wind project for the first round of the South American nation's offshore energy auction.

Orlando Velandia of Colombia's National Hydrocarbons Agency, ANH, said that CIP subsidiary CI GMF Cooperatief U.A. ANH did not immediately provide details of the offer. ANH did not immediately disclose details of the offer.

Velandia, who spoke at a Cartagena forum, said that the participation of CIP - one of the leading investment funds for energy infrastructure and green transition - represents a vote of confidence from around the world.

The bid round will include contracts worth at least 1 gigawatt installed capacity.

In December, the Ministry of Mines and Energy of the country gave preliminary approval for eight companies to take part.

Also included were Colombian companies Ecopetrol, Celsia, and Jan De Nul, DEME and Britain's Dyna energy, Powerchina, and China Three Gorges, as well as Belgian Jan De Nul, and DEME.

Participants had already proposed 69 potential areas for project development by February.

Gustavo Petro, the leftist president of Venezuela, wants to encourage the development and use of renewable energy sources to reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels. (Reporting and editing by Sarah Morland; Nelson Bocanegra)

(source: Reuters)