Solar plant first, batteries later: why some projects in Colombia are postponing BESS investment

With almost 2 GW of solar projects under signed contracts in Colombia , Sungrow identifies a trend among some developers: building photovoltaic plants prepared to incorporate energy storage systems (BESS) two or three years later , thus postponing part of the initial investment.

During Future Energy Summit (FES) Colombia 2026 , Héctor Núñez , commercial director of Sungrow for northern Latin America, explained that this strategy is already being applied through central inverters with direct current (DC) connections, in a market where the evolution of the contracting and remuneration mechanisms for storage can influence investment decisions.

“You don’t have to buy a battery on day zero, you can install it two or three years later, because the system would already be ready to accommodate that storage,” he said.

This modality is especially relevant for energy arbitrage and generation time-shifting applications, which allow electricity produced during solar radiation hours to be stored and used later.

From a financial perspective, preparing a power plant to integrate BESS does not equate to financing storage from the outset . The decision to incorporate batteries may depend on the evolution of expected revenues, equipment costs, and grid connection conditions.

The alternative does not eliminate the technical assessments necessary for a future expansion, but it does allow anticipating some of the integration requirements between the photovoltaic plant and the storage system.

This discussion gains relevance after Colombia incorporated storage into its clean energy procurement mechanism.

In July 2026, the Ministry of Mines and Energy announced the awarding of 995 MW of solar generation and nearly 100 MW of battery storage , within the framework of a clean energy procurement process.

The call for bids represented an advance for hybrid facilities by incorporating batteries into long-term contracts, a condition that can facilitate the financial evaluation of this type of project.

“I believe this will be the catalyst for all projects from now on to be considered with storage,” Núñez stated.

However, considering batteries in the design of a power plant does not necessarily imply installing them from the outset. Developing configurations prepared for later integration allows for various commercial options to remain open.

At this point, Sungrow identifies two technological modalities: AC coupling , which integrates the batteries through alternating current connections, and DC coupling , which allows them to be linked through a direct current architecture.

The selection depends on the characteristics of each project, the existing equipment, and the services to be provided. In particular, AC coupling can offer greater flexibility for certain grid applications, while DC configurations can be attractive for shifting photovoltaic generation to other times of day.

The possibility of postponing storage becomes especially important when the expected revenue comes mainly from the sale of energy, without a sufficiently defined additional remuneration for other battery benefits.

The economic value of batteries beyond arbitrage

Colombia made progress in June 2026 with Resolution CREG 101 113 , which establishes rules for integrating battery storage systems into the National Interconnected System, both associated with generation and through independent installations.

The regulations cover the technical, operational, and commercial aspects of these technologies. However, the industry discussion also revolves around the economic conditions that will allow companies to take advantage of their various services.

“Why not remunerate or establish a fee for these complementary services that would definitely help amortize these storage projects?” asked the Sungrow representative.

Unlike arbitrage, which depends on differences in energy value between times, ancillary services allow the use of batteries for functions such as frequency regulation and system stability support .

The economic recognition of these benefits can modify the revenue structure of a project and, therefore, influence the decision to install storage from the beginning or incorporate it later.

In parallel, Núñez highlighted the possibilities of developing stand-alone BESS systems , independent of renewable energy plants, to address restrictions at critical nodes in the grid.

“There are critical networks that are already overwhelmed, and we don't want to experience a curtailment tomorrow. Why not consider a storage system to regulate frequency and other variables at those critical nodes?” he said.

The proposal expands the scope of storage beyond its integration with solar parks and opens the discussion on specific contracting mechanisms to meet the needs of the electricity system.

Looking ahead to 2027, Sungrow expects increased photovoltaic activity in Colombia, following a 2026 that, according to the company, recorded positive commercial results in the supply of inverters.

Although he avoided setting a figure for new capacity by 2030, Núñez considered that the market could incorporate several additional gigawatts of solar energy accompanied by batteries.

In this scenario, the timing of the incorporation of storage becomes a relevant economic and technological decision : installing it together with the plant to take advantage of its features from the beginning, or preparing the infrastructure to incorporate it when the contracting and remuneration conditions justify it.