Enel Green Power adds apiaries to 187-MW solar project in Colombia

Renewables developer Enel Green Power Colombia, part of Italian utility group Enel SpA (BIT:ENEL), has built beekeeping hives at its 187-MW direct current (DC) solar farm it is currently putting together in the Colombian department of Cesar.

The energy portion of the project, located in the town of La Loma, will result in the largest solar PV farm in Colombia, Enel said. With the solar apiary initiative, Enel Green Power Colombia is venturing into the agrivoltaic industry, the Italian group added.

So far, there are 15 hives on site, built from wood harvested during the solar farm construction. Enel Green Power joined forces with Colombia’s national learning service SENA to train 17 people from Potrerillo and La Loma on how to implement best beekeeping practices, reproduce Africanised bees and run a business.

According to local news outlet El Pilon, the company started the construction of the La Loma solar farm in March 2021. The firm invested over USD 126 million (EUR 111.3m) in the project and plans to have the solar farm in operation in the second half of 2022, Enel Green Power Colombia executive Adrian Dugulan was quoted as saying.

At present, Enel Green Power operates one solar farm in Colombia, the 86-MW (DC) El Paso, which is currently the largest such plant in the country.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.883)

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