【SMM PV News】Two Mandatory National Standards for PV Modules Officially Released

Colombia’s system operator XM has completed its latest Firm Energy Obligations auction, awarding 4.07GW of new net effective capacity for the period from Dec. 1, 2029 to Nov. 30, 2030. Solar accounted for 1.55GW, alongside 246MW of wind and 2.28GW of thermal capacity. A total of 77 out of 85 participating plants secured allocations, including 29 solar projects. Although solar represented nearly 38% of newly awarded capacity, it accounted for only 7.7% of total firm energy allocated, reflecting Colombia’s reliability charge mechanism, which favors technologies with higher dispatch firmness. SMM believes solar is gaining a stronger role in Colombia’s capacity market, but storage, hybridization and improved dispatchability will be key to strengthening project revenue stability.

Paraguay’s National Electricity Administration has launched a tender for the 140MW Loma Plata solar project in the Boquerón department. The plant will connect to the national grid through the 220kV Loma Plata substation, with the scope covering engineering, construction, operation and maintenance of both the solar plant and related transmission infrastructure. The project, supported by the World Bank, is the first concrete step under Paraguay’s new renewable energy framework, Law No. 7599/2025. SMM believes the law’s provisions for up to 30-year renewable PPAs and storage-related mechanisms could help unlock future solar and solar-plus-storage development in Paraguay.