Ecopetrol should be the one making moves like Promigas just made
En un momento en que América Latina redefine su relación con la energía, la adquisición de Zelestra Latam por parte de Promigas se convirtió en espejo incómodo para el gobierno colombiano. El presidente Petro señaló el movimiento como prueba de lo que Ecopetrol debería estar haciendo pero no hace: liderar la transición energética con los recursos y la capacidad técnica que ya posee. La pregunta que queda suspendida no es solo estratégica sino filosófica: ¿a quién le corresponde construir el futuro energético de una nación, al Estado o al mercado?
- Promigas adquirió Zelestra Latam y de un solo movimiento se posicionó como uno de los actores más activos en energía limpia en Colombia, Chile y Perú, dejando a Ecopetrol visiblemente rezagada.
- Petro reaccionó con frustración pública, convirtiendo la transacción privada en un argumento político: si una empresa de gas puede hacer esto, la petrolera del Estado no tiene excusa para no hacerlo.
- Analistas y sectores empresariales advierten que forzar a Ecopetrol hacia las renovables podría desestabilizar las finanzas públicas, pues Colombia aún depende críticamente de los ingresos del petróleo y el gas.
- El país acumula más de 300 trámites regulatorios pendientes y más de 5.000 megavatios sin cierre financiero, revelando que el problema no es solo de voluntad corporativa sino de infraestructura institucional.
- El debate no se resuelve: el gobierno empuja una transformación acelerada, el sector privado pide equilibrio, y mientras tanto son las empresas privadas las que están construyendo la nueva arquitectura energética regional.
Cuando Promigas anunció la compra de Zelestra Latam, una plataforma de energía renovable con proyectos en Colombia, Chile y Perú, el presidente Gustavo Petro no tardó en convertir la noticia en un cuestionamiento directo: ¿por qué no es Ecopetrol la que está haciendo esto?
El negocio de Promigas es significativo. La compañía adquirió capacidad instalada y proyectos en desarrollo de generación solar y almacenamiento de energía en tres países, con contratos de largo plazo que aseguran ingresos futuros. En Chile, en particular, entró de lleno al mercado de generación renovable a gran escala. El movimiento refleja una tendencia regional: las empresas energéticas latinoamericanas se están diversificando hacia negocios sostenibles con creciente decisión.
Petro lleva años argumentando que Ecopetrol tiene los recursos financieros, la experiencia técnica y la capacidad operativa para liderar inversiones en renovables, hidrógeno verde y tecnologías de descarbonización. Para él, la adquisición de Zelestra es exactamente el tipo de apuesta estratégica que la petrolera estatal debería protagonizar.
Pero el debate tiene otra cara. Analistas de mercado y sectores empresariales advierten que Colombia todavía depende profundamente de los ingresos del petróleo y el gas para financiar servicios públicos y mantener la seguridad energética. Piden equilibrio: fortalecer el negocio tradicional mientras se expande gradualmente hacia nuevas fuentes, no la aceleración que exige el presidente.
El dilema es real. Promigas puede diversificarse sin abandonar su núcleo. Ecopetrol, en cambio, es fundamentalmente una empresa petrolera, y pedirle que se convierta en líder de energías limpias es pedirle que transforme su identidad. A eso se suma que Colombia enfrenta más de 300 trámites regulatorios pendientes y más de 5.000 megavatios de capacidad sin financiamiento, lo que revela que los obstáculos van más allá de la voluntad corporativa.
La operación Promigas-Zelestra quedará como referencia en el debate sobre el futuro energético del país. Demuestra que el sector privado puede moverse con decisión hacia las renovables. Y deja una pregunta incómoda para el gobierno: si Ecopetrol no lidera la transición, ¿quién lo hará, y qué dice eso sobre el papel del Estado en la construcción del futuro energético de la región?
President Gustavo Petro seized on a major corporate acquisition this week to renew his push for Colombia's state oil company to become a driving force in renewable energy. When Promigas announced it had bought Zelestra Latam, a renewable energy platform with projects across Colombia, Chile, and Peru, Petro used the moment to make a pointed observation: this is the kind of strategic move he expects Ecopetrol to be leading.
The Promigas deal is substantial. The company now controls installed capacity and development-stage projects in solar generation and energy storage across three countries, with long-term contracts that secure future revenue streams. In Chile especially, Promigas has entered the large-scale renewable generation market directly, positioning itself as one of the region's most active players in clean energy. The acquisition reflects a broader shift among Latin American energy companies toward diversification away from traditional fossil fuels and into sustainability-focused businesses.
Petro's public comments on the transaction reignited a debate that has simmered throughout his presidency: what role should Ecopetrol play in Colombia's energy transformation? The president has long argued that the state petroleum company possesses the financial resources, technical expertise, and operational capacity to lead major investments in renewables, green hydrogen, and decarbonization technologies. From his perspective, Ecopetrol should be the one making moves like Promigas just made.
But the reality is more complicated. Market analysts and business sectors have pushed back against the idea that Ecopetrol should pivot aggressively toward renewables. Their concern is straightforward: Colombia still depends heavily on oil and gas revenues to fund public services and maintain energy security. A rapid shift away from hydrocarbons could destabilize government finances at a moment when the country can ill afford it. These voices argue for balance—strengthening the traditional hydrocarbon business while gradually expanding into new energy sources—rather than the acceleration Petro is calling for.
The tension reflects a genuine strategic dilemma. Promigas, a gas infrastructure and energy company, can diversify into renewables while maintaining its core business. But Ecopetrol is fundamentally a petroleum company. Asking it to become a renewable energy leader is asking it to transform its identity, not simply add a new line of business. The question of how fast that transformation should happen, and whether it should happen at all, divides the government from significant parts of the Colombian business establishment.
Petro's reaction to the Zelestra deal also signals frustration. He has been pushing for years on this issue, and yet Ecopetrol has not emerged as the regional renewable energy powerhouse he envisioned. Instead, other companies are moving faster and more decisively into clean energy markets. The Promigas acquisition becomes, in his view, evidence of what Ecopetrol should be doing but isn't.
The broader context matters too. Colombia faces urgent infrastructure challenges in renewable energy development—over 300 regulatory procedures are pending, and more than 5,000 megawatts of capacity lack financing closure. The country is also exploring geothermal potential in volcanic regions. These are the kinds of projects Petro believes Ecopetrol should be financing and developing. Instead, the company remains primarily focused on oil extraction, even as global energy markets shift.
The Promigas-Zelestra deal will likely become a reference point in the ongoing argument about Colombia's energy future. It demonstrates that the private sector can move decisively into renewables. It also raises an uncomfortable question for the government: if Ecopetrol won't lead the transition, who will? And if private companies like Promigas are the ones building Latin America's clean energy infrastructure, what does that mean for state control over the region's energy destiny?
Notable Quotes
Petro highlighted the Promigas move as the type of strategic investment he expects Ecopetrol to lead in Colombia's energy transformation— President Gustavo Petro
Promigas stated the acquisition is part of its strategy to consolidate as a multienergy group with regional presence, integrating renewable generation, energy infrastructure, and low-emission solutions— Promigas
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why did Petro specifically call out Ecopetrol after Promigas made this deal? It seems like he's using someone else's success to criticize his own company.
Exactly. He's saying: look, Promigas just proved it's possible. They have the capital, the expertise, the regional reach. So why isn't Ecopetrol doing this? It's a way of saying the state company isn't moving fast enough on his energy transition agenda.
But Ecopetrol is an oil company. Promigas is a gas and infrastructure company. Aren't they different animals?
They are, but that's partly Petro's point. He thinks Ecopetrol should stop being just an oil company. It should become a multienergy company like Promigas is becoming. The problem is, oil is what funds the Colombian government. Moving away from it too fast creates real financial risk.
So there's a genuine conflict between what Petro wants and what the country's finances need?
Yes. The government needs oil revenue to pay for schools and hospitals. But Petro also believes Colombia's future depends on moving away from oil. Ecopetrol is caught in the middle of that contradiction.
Does Ecopetrol have the capacity to do what Petro wants?
Financially and technically, probably yes. But capacity isn't the only question. There's also the question of whether it should. Some analysts think Ecopetrol should focus on being excellent at what it does—oil and gas—while other companies handle renewables. Others think the company needs to transform or become obsolete.
What does the Promigas deal actually change?
It shows that the private sector is moving into renewables faster than the state company. That's a political problem for Petro. He wanted Ecopetrol to be the leader of Colombia's energy transition. Instead, other companies are leading it without him.