GameChange Energy and POWERCHINA Colombia successfully brought a 144 MW solar project in Escobales into commercial operation despite facing challenging terrain, significant slopes, and configuration changes during construction.
The case became a benchmark for the company due to the need to adapt different engineering solutions on the fly without compromising the continuity of the works or the economic viability of the park.
According to GameChange Energy , the project required close coordination with POWERCHINA Colombia to respond to the conditions that arose in the field and to adjust the design as execution progressed.
“Escobales shows how to move forward with a complex project with very hard terrain, considerable slopes and unexpected configuration changes,” explained Damian Rio , Operations Director of GameChange Energy via social media.
One of the keys was to use a mixed configuration of solar trackers and fixed structures , instead of relying on a single structural solution for the entire site.
This was complemented by specific geotechnical support and a continuous review of engineering needs to adapt the project to the particularities of the terrain.
“With a mixed design of trackers and fixed structures, geotechnical support and close coordination with POWERCHINA Colombia, we were able to overcome the multiple challenges that Escobales presented,” Rio added.
Controlled CAPEX and preserved profitability
The challenge was not only technical.
Design modifications during construction could also impact costs, deadlines and economic performance, so keeping CAPEX under control became one of the cornerstones of the strategy.
GameChange Energy maintains that the decisions made allowed them to preserve the bankability of the project and bring the facility to commissioning without sacrificing its profitability.
The result was a 144 MW solar plant that reached commercial operation after going through an engineering adaptation process conditioned by the characteristics of the site.
For the company, Escobales demonstrates that design flexibility and coordination between technology provider, EPC and technical teams can be decisive when the actual construction conditions differ from those initially planned.
The case also highlights the importance of combining different structural solutions within the same park when the terrain presents significant variations in hardness, slope or configuration.
GameChange Energy compiled Escobales' experience in a success story focused on construction challenges, engineering decisions, and the measures taken to keep the project moving forward.
With the plant now in commercial operation, the focus of the case is on how a flexible strategy made it possible to turn a complex site into a bankable solar asset, with controlled CAPEX and preserved profitability .
By Emilia Lardizabal
By Energía Estratégica
By Ailén Pedrotti
