The National Association of Businessmen of Colombia – ANDI and Naturgas held the Hydrogen and Renewable Gases Forum , a space in which the challenges and opportunities that will mark the development of hydrogen, biogas and biomethane in Colombia were analyzed, as well as their potential to contribute to energy security, investment and economic growth of the country.
During the opening of the Forum, Bruce Mac Master, president of ANDI , gave an analysis of the international context marked by the weakening of global institutions, polarization, geopolitical hotspots, energy security, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the demographic crisis, among other factors that are transforming economic and social conditions worldwide.
In this context, he stressed that the country faces an energy shock that makes it necessary to make strategic decisions to move towards greater energy autonomy and reduce its vulnerabilities.
“Colombia is facing a new, different, and complex situation today that requires not only understanding the scenario but also making strategic decisions. One of these is to move towards greater energy independence and prevent the country from deepening its vulnerabilities in this area,” Mac Master pointed out.
The president of ANDI also emphasized the need to reactivate the economy with growth rates between 4% and 5% as a condition for addressing the country's structural problems. In this regard, the Association has identified five sectors with the capacity to drive economic activity: construction, infrastructure, agribusiness, manufacturing, and mining and energy .
“With the new government, a great opportunity has arisen to boost investment and generate new conditions of trust that will allow for increased economic activity,” said Bruce Mac Master, president of ANDI.
Hydrogen: an opportunity worth over US$20 billion
In this scenario, the mining and energy sector is consolidating itself as one of the main drivers of the economy and can represent up to 6.6% of GDP.
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In particular, Mac Master highlighted Colombia's potential in the hydrogen sector. According to an analysis by ANDI, there are currently 72 announced projects, representing an investment opportunity exceeding US$20 billion, which could also generate significant production linkages in sectors such as the fertilizer industry, heavy transport, and refineries, among others.
The development of these initiatives represents an opportunity to attract investment, generate employment, strengthen productive capacities and advance in the construction of a more diversified and resilient energy matrix.
In terms of biogas, the analysis identifies Valle del Cauca, Antioquia and Cundinamarca as the regions with the greatest potential for the development of this energy source, based on their production capacities and biomass availability.
According to Mac Master, Colombia has significant resources and opportunities, but the challenge lies in translating that potential into concrete projects. “Colombia doesn't lack resources; what we lack is implementation and reaching an agreement on the rules and conditions that will allow us to put those resources to work for the well-being of the people, the growth of the country, and our capacity to guarantee energy security,” he concluded.
For her part, Luz Stella Murgas, president of Naturgas , stressed that energy security must be at the center of the country's decisions and called for the responsible use of available natural resources.
"Energy security depends on responsibly utilizing Colombia's natural resources to guarantee reliable, safe, and sufficient energy, thereby boosting the country's growth and development."
Murgas also stressed that the energy transition must be understood from a broad perspective, in which different sources and technologies can coexist.
“The energy transition does not exclude any source or technology. The figures show the magnitude of the opportunity we have. Today, low-emission hydrogen represents 9% of global production. The challenge is to convince the world that hydrogen can be used on a large scale and, at the same time, move forward to produce it more competitively,” the union leader concluded.