Rural microgrids and its potential application in Colombia

This paper presents a review about microgrids around the world, particularly analyzing cases installed in rural areas as a solution to the energy access problem in isolated areas. On the one hand, the Colombian case is presented with the aim to describe and analyze the two main problems affecting the electric system in the country: the coverage of electric infrastructure and the energy supply due to El Niño phenomenon. On the other hand, the paper includes the solutions implemented by the national government installing microgrids. Finally, the subsidies offered in Colombia and other countries are shown, giving a comprehensive description of the productive potential of renewable energy, the current legislation and regulations in the country for FNCE promotion (Non-Conventional Energy Sources), and the incorporation to the SIN (National Interconnected System), proposing that there should be focus on training, research and implementation of microgrids in order to allow their deployment in Colombia.