Collective Action and Bargaining Failure: Wind Energy Delays in Colombia’s La Guajira

La Guajira is a windy and sunny peninsula in northern Colombia. With an exceptional renewable resource, the area is key to Colombia’s energy transition aspirations.

But so far La Guajira has failed to deliver. Even though the first wind farm was opened in La Guajira in 2004, development has since then stalled. The region has not added any meaningful capacity.

The main obstacle to developing wind capacity in La Guajira is the difficulty of community engagement. La Guajira is populated by the Wayúu people, an indigenous community that has not reached an agreement with wind project developers.

In what follows, I analyze La Guajira’s wind energy difficulties based on a series of interviews and conversions in the region in August 2025.

Professor Johannes in front of the inactive Jepirachi wind farm in northernmost La Guajira. The 20-megawatt wind farm started in 2004 but stopped operations in 2023 because of updated government regulations. It is being decommissioned as of September 2025.

1. La Guajira’s energy resource

La Guajira offers some of the best renewable energy conditions in Latin America. Average wind speeds reach 9 meters per second along the coast—nearly double Colombia’s national average—and estimates suggest the region could generate be 18 GW of electricity if projects were fully realized. These conditions rival leading wind corridors worldwide, positioning the peninsula as a cornerstone of Colombia’s decarbonization strategy.

Solar potential is equally striking. With irradiance levels above 6 kWh/m²/day and more than 2,500 hours of sunshine annually, La Guajira could support hybrid projects that combine wind and solar to stabilize generation. The complementarity of resources offers natural risk mitigation: wind production peaks at night and in certain seasons, while solar provides predictable daytime output.

Despite these resources, La Guajira has only a few active wind farms. What gives?

2. Possible explanations for La Guajira’s wind failure

There are a few possible explanations for La Guajira’s wind failure.

The first is infrastructure. La Guajira does not have a well-developed electricity infrastructure. But given the quality of the wind resource, this problem could be overcome. It is a technical and financial challenge that has not stopped renewable energy development elsewhere.

The second is permitting and regulations. These issues have caused delays and increased costs. But wind projects in La Guajira have not failed just because permits, licenses, and regulations are cumbersome.

The third possibility is difficulties with community engagement and public support. As we shall