First Putumayo Energy Communities start, supported by GeoPark

A Corpoamazonia–Ministry of Mines and Energy-GeoPark project has brought solar energy, biogas and sustainable agriculture to 8 schools in rural areas of Puerto Asis.

The first educational energy communities have started in Putumayo, following joint work by Corpoamazonia, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and GeoPark.

Energy communities have been set up in eight schools in the rural area of Puerto Asis, benefitting 133 students and teachers by giving reliable power supplies for usingcomputers, refrigerating food and ensuring well-lit classrooms, supporting the uninterrupted continuation of educational activities.

In the Puerto Asis-La Alea corridor, eight photovoltaic solar systems with battery storage were installed in rural schools in Nueva Granada, Puerto Bello and Santa Isabelto guarantee power supplies. Organic gardens and three biodigesters were also provided to produce biogas and liquid fertilizer, strengthening food security and schools’ productive autonomy.

“As an environmental authority, we believe that investments like these, made throughenvironmental offsets, are set to generate capabilities and lasting value. This project shows that conservation is also built upon education and local autonomy,” Corpoamazonia Director Sidally Ortega said.

Mines and Energy Minister Edwin Palma Egea emphasized that energy communities are key to participation and co-responsibility being part of a just energy transition, allowing energy to be managed by territories and ensuring that it meets the needs of rural communities. Such projects result from shared work and effort between the National Government, the private sector, and territorial and community organizations, he added.

“Our presence in Putumayo has allowed us to build relationships of trust and understand communities’ priorities. This project reflects our purpose of Creating Value and Giving Back, as reliable energy creates more time for learning, more tools for production, and more capacity to project the future from the territory. We firmly believe that when energy is generated and managed in the community, development is lasting,” GeoPark Nature and Neighbors Director Anibal Fernandez de Soto said.

This project is most significant in departments such as Putumayo where there are pronounced energy gaps. While there is progress in towns, dispersed rural settlements are left behind and government figures show a gap of more than 30 percentage points between urban and rural connectivity in Putumayo. Energy communities that bring uninterrupted power to rural schools are therefore a powerful way to close gaps and guarantee educational continuity.

The energy communities in Putumayo result from environmental compensation by GeoPark subsidiary Amerisur, formalized by Resolutions 00650, 00651 and 00652 dated May 19, 2025. Over $1.04 billion pesos has been invested in the initiative, which has put Putumayo on the map of departments that are making progress in a just energy transition in Colombia.

Corpoamazonia, the Ministry of Mines and Energy and GeoPark underscore their commitment to continue promoting energy and productive solutions that strengthen the autonomy, education and well-being of rural communities in Colombia.

For further information on the project, click here.

ABOUT GEOPARK

GeoPark is a leading independent energy company with over 20 years of successful operations across Latin America that has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 2014. In Colombia, it is one of the main companies in the sector. Since being founded, GeoPark’s SPEED Integrated Value System (Safety, Prosperity, Employees, Environment and Community Development) has embodied its commitment to sustainability in every territory that the Company operates in.

For more information about GeoPark, see its official channels: Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, the Buenos Vecinos blog and the web page. For inquiries, write to conexiones@geo-park.com.