The National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) will no longer be just oil and natural gas. He will also be in charge of non-conventional renewable energy and, for this reason, it is preparing to begin measuring the potential of white hydrogen in Colombia.
«We are making airplanes to be able to know and explore the white hydrogen a little. Our focus right now is going to be white hydrogen and the idea is to support the Ministry of Mines and Energy in the regulation and geological knowledge», assured the Technical Vice President of the ANH, Carlos Rey, during the 2nd International Hydrogen Congress.
(Read also: Replace the oil industry with white hydrogen, Irene Vélez proposal)
In addition, he stated that it is necessary to begin investigations to find out where the potential for white hydrogen is, since currently Colombia does not have a clear estimate of characteristics are the resources it has.
The Technical Vice President of the ANH also announced that they are working on a project that will be carried out at the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the National Planning Department (DNP) to invest 640,000 million pesos in energy transition projects by 2026.
Of this total, approximately 170,000 million pesos will be allocated to identify and evaluate the potential of white hydrogen that could exist in Colombia.
«In a short time we hope to have an estimate of the potential of white hydrogen In colombia. We will also work on other issues such as geothermal energy and CO2 storage, but without leaving behind all our previous tasks”, he added.
(Read also: European Union will finance projects to import hydrogen from Colombia)
«Our strategy is focused on the generation of knowledge, which will materialize with the entry of new companies in colombia for the exploration and exploitation of hydrogen and geothermal resources,» verified the ANH official.
These ANH plans are in line with the proposal of the Minister of Mines and Energy, Irene Vélez, to replace the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons for that of white hydrogen, which can be found in the same areas where oil is present today.
Also, make sure that the oil and natural gas infrastructure (oil and gas pipelines) that currently exists in the country and the «hydrocarbon residues» could be optimized for the production of blue hydrogen.
(Also read: Minister Irene Vélez responds to Cecilia López: «Surely he meant something else»)
According to the minister, the sector of hydrocarbons must migrate little by little and so that it can be done progressively and under principles of energy security.
It was also mentioned that blue and white hydrogen are the only colors the Government is interested in, «grey not so much because we believe that we can bet on as green as possible».
«The energy transition in Colombia needs, in addition to changing technologies and changing the fiscal and export matrix, closing the social gaps. The new green economies must be the ones that replace the fossil economies«, said.