7 wind farms of the 10 to be built in La Guajira have been licensed by the environmental authority.

The General Director of the Regional Autonomous Corporation of La Guajira – Corpoguajira, Samuel Lanao Robles, in his speech in the virtual conversation 'Energy Transition Challenges and Opportunities for the territory of La Guajira', pointed out that the Corporation has a transcendental role in this matter.

“As an institution we have a great responsibility in relation to the energy transition that the country is experiencing. The Corporation plays a very important role in the process of building solar parks and wind energy in the department of La Guajira. The parks could not be built in the department if they do not go through the Corporation because we grant the environmental permits that allow their construction ".

Lanao Robles, He also said that there have been many projects that have had to go through the entity and there are not enough personnel to be able to attend to the accumulation of environmental procedures that are coming to the Corporation.. However, He stressed that an effort has been made for economic reactivation, responding to the country and overcoming the difficulties and economic and institutional weaknesses.

Regarding the provisions of the Bill 365 the 2020 the Director indicated “it is a great opportunity for the department of La Guajira, It is an opportunity that we have to recompose some situations that have been arising around the allocation of resources to address environmental problems, social and economic. It is the opportunity to strengthen the finances of the Corporation and the Department”.

It should be noted that of the 10 wind farms to be built in La Guajira, 7 have been licensed by the environmental authority with all the technical and legal rigor of each case. In order for a company to generate energy in the department, it must comply with the following environmental procedures: land use process, the process of measuring wind resources, research permit, environmental diagnosis of alternatives, terms of reference and environmental license.

Finally, In his speech, the Director of the Corporation recalled the environmental effects caused by wind energy, among which are: wildlife affectation, especially birds and bats; flora silvestre, soil resource, landscape alteration, visual impact on natural landscapes, noise generated by wind turbines, water demand in a department affected by climate change, subtraction protected areas, example DMI Rio Ranchería basin and DMI Cerro Bañaderos, All these considerations are taken into account in the analysis and the companies or executors of the projects are required to take preventive measures to reduce the impacts on the environment..