🇨🇴 Solar Calculator Colombia

Enter your city and monthly electricity bill — get system size, panel count, Ley 1715 tax deduction, net metering savings, and payback period in Colombian pesos.

Your electricity and location details

City?

Monthly electricity bill?

$COP

System size?

kWp

Grid-tied (medición neta)?

🇨🇴 Solar system for Colombia — Bogotá

10 × 550W panels — 5.0 kWp system

Peak sun hours (PSH)3.8 hrs/day

Annual solar production5.548 kWh/yr

Self-consumed energy2.541 kWh/yr

Net metering compensation$1.533.480/yr COP

Annual electricity savings$3.693.480/yr COP

System cost estimate$20.000.000–$30.000.000 COP

Ley 1715 tax deduction (50%)$12.500.000 COP deductible

Payback (gross cost)6.8 years

Payback (after Ley 1715)5.7 years

25-year net savings$67.337.000 COP

Bogotá altitude bonus: At 2,600m above sea level, solar panels in Bogotá run ~10°C cooler than at sea level, improving efficiency by approximately 3-5% compared to lower-altitude cities with the same PSH.

Ley 1715 incentive: Colombia's Ley 1715 (2014) and Ley 2099 (2021) allow up to 50% of solar investment to be deducted from taxable income over 5 years. VAT exemption (IVA 0%) on solar equipment and 10-year property tax exemption (predial) also apply. Consult a Colombian tax advisor to maximize benefits.

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How to Use This Calculator

Select your city and enter your electricity bill

Choose the city closest to your location. Colombia's solar resource varies significantly between the Caribbean coast (Barranquilla 5.5 PSH, Cartagena 5.3 PSH) and the Andean highlands (Bogotá 3.8 PSH). Despite Bogotá's lower sun hours, its high altitude (2,600m) means panels run cooler and more efficiently. Enter your monthly electricity bill in Colombian pesos from your utility (EPM, Codensa, Emcali, Electricaribe, etc.) — find it as "valor total a pagar" on your factura de energía.

Set system size and grid connection

Enter your desired system size in kWp. Colombian homes typically install 3-10 kWp; commercial systems start at 15 kWp. Grid-tied systems benefit from net metering (medición neta de energía) under Resolution CREG 030 of 2018, which allows excess solar to be sold back to your utility at a rate typically 60% of the retail price. This significantly improves the financial case for solar in Colombia.

Understand the Ley 1715 tax benefit

Colombia's Ley 1715 is one of the most generous solar incentive frameworks in Latin America. The key benefit is a 50% income tax deduction on the total investment, applied over 5 years — effectively cutting the net cost of your solar system by 16-17% (at a 33% income tax rate). Additional benefits include VAT exemption on solar equipment and a 10-year property tax exemption. These incentives apply to both residential taxpayers and businesses.

The Formula

Monthly kWh = Monthly Bill ÷ 850 COP/kWh (avg Colombian rate) Annual Production = System kWp × PSH × 365 × 0.80 efficiency Self-Consumed kWh = Annual Production × 55% (grid-tied) or 70% (off-grid) Net Metering Compensation = Excess kWh × 510 COP/kWh (60% of retail) Annual Savings = Self-Consumed kWh × 850 COP/kWh + Net Metering System Cost = kWp × 4,000,000-6,000,000 COP/kWp Ley 1715 Benefit = System Cost × 50% (deductible from taxable income) Payback = Net Cost ÷ Annual Savings

The net metering compensation rate in Colombia is set by each utility following CREG regulations — the calculator uses 60% of the retail rate as a conservative estimate. Some utilities may compensate at higher rates during peak demand periods. The Ley 1715 benefit shown is the deductible amount — actual cash savings depend on your income tax rate (33% corporate, 10-39% personal depending on income bracket).

Example

Carlos — Home in Barranquilla with 8kWp system

Carlos has a house in Barranquilla's Caribbean heat. He pays $350,000 COP/month to Electricaribe and wants an 8kWp grid-tied solar system to cut his air conditioning costs.

CityBarranquilla (5.5 PSH — Colombia's best solar city)

Monthly bill$350,000 COP/mo (~412 kWh/mo)

System8 kWp — 15 × 550W panels

TypeGrid-tied with net metering

Result

Annual production~12,848 kWh/yr

Self-consumed (55%)~7,067 kWh/yr

Annual savings~$7,700,000 COP/yr

System cost$32,000,000-48,000,000 COP

Ley 1715 deduction$20,000,000 COP deductible

Payback (gross)~5.2 years

Payback (after Ley 1715)~4.3 years

Barranquilla's excellent sunshine (5.5 PSH) combined with Colombia's Ley 1715 incentives makes this one of the best solar investments in Latin America. Carlos recovers his investment in just over 4 years. Over 25 years, he saves over $150,000,000 COP — enough to fund his children's education.

FAQ

What is Colombia's Ley 1715 solar incentive? ▼

Colombia's Ley 1715 de 2014 (updated by Ley 2099 de 2021) is the primary solar incentive framework. The main benefits are: (1) 50% income tax deduction on the investment, applied over 5 years; (2) IVA exención — 0% VAT on solar panels, inverters, batteries, and accessories; (3) Exención predial — 10-year exemption from property taxes (impuesto predial) for the installation; (4) Depreciación acelerada — accelerated depreciation over 5 years instead of 20. To access these benefits, systems above 5 kWp must register with UPME (Unidad de Planeación Minero Energética).

How does net metering work in Colombia (medición neta de energía)? ▼

Colombia's net metering framework (medición neta de energía) was established by Resolution CREG 030 of 2018. Under this regulation, small generators (AGPE — Autogenerador de Pequeña Escala, up to 1 MW) can connect to the grid and receive compensation for excess energy exported. The compensation rate is set by each utility distributor and is typically 60-80% of the retail tariff. The process requires a connection agreement with your utility, installation of a bidirectional meter, and registration with the operator. Processing time is typically 30-90 days.

How much does solar cost in Colombia in 2026? ▼

Installed solar system costs in Colombia range from approximately $4,000,000 to $6,000,000 COP per kWp in 2026. A 5 kWp system costs $20,000,000-30,000,000 COP (~$5,000-7,500 USD); a 15 kWp commercial system costs $60,000,000-90,000,000 COP. Prices vary by brand (national vs. imported panels), installer quality, and region. The IVA exemption under Ley 1715 means panels and inverters are purchased at 0% VAT, saving approximately 19% on equipment costs. Request quotes from at least 3 UPME-registered installers.

Which Colombian city is best for solar panels? ▼

Barranquilla (5.5 PSH) and Cartagena (5.3 PSH) on the Caribbean coast have the best solar resource — similar to the best parts of the US Southwest. Bucaramanga (4.8 PSH) and Cali (4.5 PSH) are excellent. Medellín (4.2 PSH) and Bogotá (3.8 PSH) have fewer sun hours but Bogotá's high altitude means cooler panels and ~5% efficiency bonus. All Colombian cities have viable solar economics — payback periods of 4-8 years are typical nationwide due to Ley 1715 incentives.

Is solar worth it in Colombia without Ley 1715 benefits? ▼

Yes, even without tax incentives. Colombian electricity tariffs have increased significantly and are likely to continue rising with fuel cost volatility. A grid-tied solar system in Barranquilla without any incentives still pays back in 6-8 years — reasonable for a 25-year asset. With Ley 1715 benefits, this drops to 4-5 years. The combination of Colombia's solar resource, rising electricity prices, net metering, and generous tax incentives makes solar one of the best investments available to Colombian households and businesses.

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