---
title: Small Hydropower & Geothermal Exploration
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/grid/latam-ex-brazil__co-renewable-hydro-geothermal"
hub: grid
summary: Colombia generates 70% of electricity from hydropower; small-hydro technology expands to remote communities while geothermal exploration taps volcanic Andes potential.
---

# Small Hydropower & Geothermal Exploration

Colombia generates 70% of electricity from hydropower; small-hydro technology expands to remote communities while geothermal exploration taps volcanic Andes potential.
- Technology Readiness Level: 7/9
- Impact: 2/5
- Investment: 2/5
Colombia generates approximately 70% of its electricity from hydropower, making it one of the most renewably-powered nations in the Americas. The technology focus is extending this hydro advantage through small-hydropower installations (1-10 MW) that bring electricity to remote communities in the Chocó, Amazon, and Andean regions without requiring large dam infrastructure. Run-of-river designs minimize environmental impact while providing reliable baseload power.

Geothermal exploration is at an earlier stage: Colombia's position along the Andean volcanic arc provides significant geothermal potential, with preliminary assessments identifying resources in Nariño, Cauca, and Caldas departments. The technology includes magnetotelluric surveys for subsurface mapping, slim-hole exploratory drilling, and binary cycle power plants suited to moderate-temperature resources. The Azufral volcano in Nariño is the most advanced prospect.

The strategic significance is energy diversification. Colombia's heavy dependence on hydropower makes it vulnerable to El Niño droughts — the 2015-2016 drought nearly caused national blackouts. Small hydro in different watersheds and geothermal baseload would reduce this concentration risk. For remote communities, small hydropower provides economic development enablement — electricity enables refrigeration, telecommunications, and small-scale manufacturing that transform subsistence economies.

---
Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/grid/latam-ex-brazil__co-renewable-hydro-geothermal)