Colombian EnergyMinister Edwin Palma on April 15 announced an upcoming renewable‌energy auction,saying that he would travel to the United States next week to promote it.

“We will bein New York on Monday and Tuesdaydiscussing energy and promoting the renewable energy⁠auction,which we hope will be on themarket soon,”Palma said during a conference inthe city of Cartagena,without providing further details.

Palma also proposed an open-season auction for regasification projects,which the ministrysaid would be a transparent and competitivemechanism to secure firm gas-sector capacity,support new infrastructure and‌strengthen⁠the reliability of the energy system.

Open-season auctions are used in the energy and infrastructure sectors to measure demand before projects are developed,helping ensurefinancial viabilityand efficient⁠capacity allocation,especially in natural gas transportation and regasification.

“This will allow usto ensure sufficient backup for the systemand⁠facilitate the integration of clean energy,”Palma said.

Colombia is facing a gas production deficit,as production⁠isinsufficient to meet domestic demand,forcing the South American country to increase fuel imports.