Colombia consolidates commitment to geothermal energy at RENAG 2025

For five days, from May 5 to 9, the headquarters of the Colombian Geological Service (SGC) hosted more than 130 national and international experts to celebrate the VII National Geothermal Meeting (RENAG 2025) , a key event in the technical, regulatory and strategic drive for geothermal development in Colombia.

Organized by the Colombian Geothermal Association (AGEOCOL) since 2016, this event has established itself as the main meeting point for researchers, regulators, companies, and cooperation agencies, with the goal of strengthening alliances, exchanging knowledge, and advancing the sustainable use of this clean, constant, and local energy source.

The 2025 edition of the event, held from May 7 to 9 , focused on technical advances, regulatory challenges, and strategic opportunities to position geothermal energy as a pillar of the country’s energy transition. Five key technical axes were highlighted during the meeting :

1. Geophysical and Geological Exploration : Advances in techniques such as gravimetry, magnetometry, seismic tomography, and secondary data modeling were presented to map areas of geothermal potential in Colombia.

2. Geochemical Analysis and Lithium Enrichment : The chemical behavior of geothermal fluids and their potential use in obtaining byproducts such as lithium were discussed, integrating economic feasibility studies.

3. Geothermal Well and System Optimization : Innovations in drilling, cementing, and hot dry rock (EGS) systems technologies were addressed, focused on increasing the efficiency of geothermal developments.

4. Co-production with Hydrocarbon Resources : The use of abandoned oil and gas wells to generate geothermal energy was explored, including the incorporation of nanofluids and other hybrid solutions.

5. Environmental and Socioeconomic Sustainability : Emphasis was placed on the design of regulatory frameworks, social acceptance, and direct uses of geothermal energy such as food dehydration, aligned with a comprehensive vision of sustainability.

The event was attended by experts from the United States, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Israel, India, Brazil and Canada , as well as representatives from universities (such as the University of Quebec, the National University of Colombia and the Industrial University of Santander), and companies and entities such as Ecopetrol, ANH, Halliburton, Ormat, Baker Hughes, GaiaEnergy, Petroseismic, Seequent, among others .

During the opening, Julio Fierro Morales , general director of the SGC, stressed:

“Colombia has 25 active volcanic hotspots, and we haven’t generated a single kilowatt from high-enthalpy geothermal energy. It’s time to change that. This energy is beneath our feet, ready to be harnessed.”

For his part, Jesús Bernardo Rueda Gutiérrez , president of AGEOCOL, highlighted that the SGC continues to lead research in areas such as Cerro Bravo, Cerro Machín, Paipa, Paramillo de Santa Rosa and Azufral , and reiterated the importance of RENAG as a scientific breeding ground and a space for coordination between the State, academia and the productive sector.

The technical agenda included 48 presentations , two strategic panels , three academic posters , two pre-event workshops , and a field trip to the Paipa geothermal system, organized by the SGC Geothermal Research Group and Seequent. In addition, an international workshop on geothermal regulation was held , led by Marit Brommer , Executive Director of the International Geothermal Association (IGA) , who also extended the official invitation to the World Geothermal Congress (WGC) 2026 to be held in Calgary, Canada.

One of the most discussed topics was the Ministry of Mines and Energy’s long-awaited regulations on the allocation of geothermal areas, access permits, and power generation , which generated great expectations for its impact on the execution of pilot projects in the short term.

Key insights from RENAG 2025 include:

• More than 15 years of geothermal knowledge in Colombia : research by the SGC and universities has characterized the country’s geothermal potential with multidisciplinary tools.

• RENAG as a consolidated space for technical and strategic dialogue : it was ratified as a platform for multi-sector and intergenerational coordination, with the active participation of young researchers.

• Geoscience as a pillar of the energy transition : the role of subsurface knowledge in national energy planning was highlighted.

• International and regional perspective : global participation demonstrated Colombia’s growing recognition on the international geothermal agenda.

• The regulatory challenge as a turning point : advancing a robust regulatory framework adapted to the Colombian context is key to attracting investment and implementing concrete projects.

Finally, according to SGC estimates, Colombia’s geothermal potential could cover up to 8% of the country’s electricity demand , a figure that would increase with further studies and pilot projects.

“We hope to be generating gigawatts from this decarbonized source in less than a decade,” concluded Julio Fierro.

Source: Colombian Geological Service / National Hydrocarbons Agency via our Spanish language platform PiensaGeotermia

Carlo Cariaga

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