Video transcript
I believe that most of the challenges are coming from diversification of the energy mix. We are so dependent on fossil fuels as the primary energy, basically in industry and transportation, but on the other hand especially in Latin America we have a lot of water so the hydropower system supplies most of the energy (electrical energy). We have to diversify the energy mix.
Having these conferences and these events gets us to understand how we may have similar challenges in other parts of the world and be able to understand how they were able to address these issues and see if that can work with us and also get to know of the tools we can use in the system to help better our development in the energy sector. So the engineering X approach is important to include the hard side of the system.
I think this engineering X champions on the system processes methodologies are going to help us to hear a lot of unheard voices. Because of the system processes, we take care of all the stakeholders which are being part of it right, so I think that is going to be very important to address global challenges. When we talk about only energy, we are missing out lot of other parameters. Social equity is one of the important parameters, also about political.
I see that the future of the energy system is decentralized, more local and more community system, and to achieve that we need in my opinion more education. I think that to advance collaboration we need events like this.
Energy is a very complex system and needs a lot of interdisciplinary people so we don't need to think just about the technical solutions but also the implementation is the key.
Introduction
Energy production, distribution, and consumption form a complex system. Changes in one part of the system can have far reaching impacts to people and sectors. As the world is making the shift to renewable energy sources, we need a comprehensive and holistic understanding of the interactions between technology, policies, economics, and social dimensions to ensure no one is left behind in the transition. Systems approaches can help map these interdependencies, enabling stakeholder to pinpoint and navigate the complexity within those systems and contribute to a safe, sustainable, and equitable energy transition.
The just energy transition in Colombia
Colombia is a world leader in policy making in support of the energy transition. In 2020, a third of the country’s energy consumption came from renewables- double the global average. Despite strong political will to mitigate climate change, challenges persist in transitioning to renewable sources due to infrastructure needs, climate variability, and economic dependency on fossil fuel exports. Energy access is uneven, with 97% connected to the grid but 20% of the population considered energy poor. This includes the northern region of La Guajira which has high levels of poverty despite high renewable energy potential. Communities – 50% of which are Indigenous – have historically been marginalised with little or no relationship with the government and have been excluded from economic benefits of development in the region, for example from coal plants. Colombia has a history of self-organisation, as reflected by the emergence of 'energy communities', a public policy still under construction, in which citizens seek to provide energy for their community and local economic benefits
For example, droughts recently affected the hydropower generation as part of multi-annual phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña. Another major challenge is that Colombia’s exports are currently 50-65% dependent on fossil resource exports, so there is a need to transform the country’s economy.
Medellín, Colombia. Photo by Juan Saravia on Unsplash
Frontiers Symposia in Colombia April 2024
Engineering X collaborated with Universidad de Antioquia and Frontiers on a symposium to discuss the energy transition in Colombia with diverse stakeholders. The symposium took place between 22 and 24 April 2024 at the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia and was co-chaired by Professor Yasmin Merali and Professor Franklin Jaramillo Isaza.
Discussion themes
The symposium brought together multisector, interdisciplinary energy experts and practitioners. It used diverse systems methods to frame discussions around the energy transition challenge. It brought to life cross-cutting Engineering X themes on equity, inclusivity, and circularity while also training participants in systems approaches to tackle complex challenges. After a session on how to cultivate systems thinking, the participants split into groups to discuss three sub-themes:
- Locally appropriate solutions and south–south collaboration for just energy transitions.
- Governance, justice, and access.
- Circularity and end of life technology.
Read more of the symposium sessions
Meet our Awardees
Awarded in June 2024 to participants of the Systems approaches in a just energy transition for equitable access symposium (Medellin, Colombia, April 2024). These projects are funded by Engineering X, founded the Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, as part of its Safer Complex Systems programme.
They champion local leadership of solutions and the importance of taking a systems approach to improve safety and sustainability into the future. These projects aim to put systems approaches into practice and will generate learnings and next steps for the Safer Complex Systems programme as it seeks to enhance safety in complex systems globally.
- Considering Communities input in providing Energy Solutions: Counties in Kenya, Joseph Obbo, Strathmore University
- Exploring the incorporation of grassroots innovation into just energy transition: Learnings from Colombia, Cristian Gil, Instituto para la Acción Pública
- Empowering Putumayo: Systems approaches for Renewable Energy for Education and Health, Nelly Cantillo, Universidad del Rosario
- A systemic approach for sustainable and circular end-of-life cycle EV battery in Nepal, Prabina Shrestha, Utopia Kathmandu Pvt. Ltd
- Pilot for systems change in mining communities in La Guajira, Jorge Florez, Results for Development Institute
Related resources
Colombia energy workshop report
Read our report summarising a workshop held by Colombian and UK partners focused on barriers and opportunities to increasing access to sustainable energy in Colombia.
Systems approaches in practice
Explore how systems approaches can help to address and provide sustainable solutions to complex challenges.