Session: 09-16-02: Energy-Related Multidisciplinary II

Paper Number: 166833

A Novel Holistic Business Model Approach for Solar Charging Stations Assisted Adoption in Urban Electric Mobility Initiatives: A Colombian Case 

Colombia, situated in the equatorial zone, benefits from consistently high levels of solar radiation throughout the year, ranging from 1,300 to 2,200 kWh/m² annually, as reported in the Solar Radiation Atlas published by the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Combined with abundant rainfall and mountainous topography, this resource base has made the country’s large-scale electricity generation primarily renewable, with hydropower as the dominant source. However, this heavy reliance on hydropower exposes the system to strong vulnerability under climate phenomena such as La Niña and El Niño, which cause prolonged periods of excess or reduced rainfall. In La Niña years, hydroelectric generation can account for up to 85% of the supply, while in drought years it may drop to 60%, forcing greater reliance on fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal. Meanwhile, despite policy support under Law 1715 (2014), the combined share of solar and wind has remained below 1%. This underscores the urgency of diversifying Colombia’s generation matrix, where utility-scale solar photovoltaics represent a promising alternative.

At the same time, Colombia is experiencing a significant relative increase in the prices of key fossil fuels, further stressing the need to accelerate energy diversification. The country also faces major challenges in adopting electric vehicles (EVs), primarily due to limited and unreliable charging infrastructure. Although Colombia holds vast solar and wind potential, their implementation has traditionally been limited to large-scale power plants within the National Interconnected System (SIN). Only in recent years has the government promoted “Energy Communities” in both rural and urban contexts, which continue to face technical, financial, regulatory, and operational barriers. To address these challenges, reducing fossil fuel dependence while harnessing Colombia’s solar potential, this paper presents a novel, phased, and solar-assisted business model for accelerating the adoption of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Colombian cities.

The model builds on international experiences and business practices, particularly from Europe, Asia, and Africa, and incorporates insights from global institutions such as the World Bank, the United Nations, the International Energy Agency (IEA), and IRENA. It emphasizes two applications of renewable energy: residential-scale systems and electric mobility. In the latter, experiences remain incipient, justifying the introduction of solar-assisted urban electric mobility for cities with high year-round solar exposure.

The proposed design begins with a survey to understand market conditions and gain insights into the client’s perspective regarding the deployment of charging stations for electric cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. In Colombian urban environments, where land costs are high and charging infrastructure remains underdeveloped, implementation presents significant obstacles. Nevertheless, the proposed model addresses these barriers by leveraging solar resources to promote sustainable transport in contexts of high fossil fuel costs, inadequate infrastructure, and growing social demand for environmentally conscious mobility.

To ensure financial and operational viability, the business model integrates four complementary schemes: Energy Service Company (ESCO), Charging Station Contracting (CSC), Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG), and Aggregator. A phased implementation strategy is proposed, beginning with the reconversion of conventional gasoline service stations into hybrid hubs that combine fossil fuel supply with photovoltaic generation and fast EV charging. Feasibility was validated through a case study at a Terpel station in Barranquilla. In Phase 1, a 250 kW PV system was designed using PVSyst to meet the station’s annual electricity demand of 388,679 kWh. In Phase 2, the solar capacity was doubled and DC fast chargers were introduced, incorporating PAYG and Aggregator models to diversify revenue streams. User surveys projected demand could reach up to 41 daily charges by 2045. Over a 20-year horizon, the model demonstrates a short payback period, high returns, and competitive electricity costs. Importantly, despite the variability of hydropower caused by El Niño and La Niña, Barranquilla’s solar resource remains stable, ensuring long-term reliability.

In conclusion, the proposed phased, solar-assisted business model offers a scalable and replicable strategy to accelerate EV adoption in Colombia and in similar countries, diversify the national energy portfolio, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. By aligning with existing policy incentives and leveraging existing service station infrastructure, the model integrates transportation engineering, electricity market dynamics, and innovative financing structures to deliver a sustainable pathway for Colombia’s urban energy and mobility transitions.

Presenting Author: Alma Nouar-Rodriguez Universidad del Norte

Presenting Author Biography: Mechanical Engineering student with 6+ years of research, consulting, and engineering experience in energy systems and sustainability. Project background includes CFD analysis of natural ventilation in buildings for CO dispersion, turboexpander integration for hydrogen production, fuel optimization in galvanizing furnaces, experimental measurement and simulation of natural gas leaks in distribution pipelines, technological surveillance of SNG production processes, and CO₂ capture technologies. Hands-on expertise in maintenance engineering in infrastructure department, design and development of a 4-axis CNC milling machine. Another achievements include leadership as president in Formula SAE Michigan participation in the 2019–2021, international coding competition Lidar-Assisted Control Summer Games on wind energy optimization, and an academic exchange on renewable systems at Penn State University, USA at 2024. Strong skills in CAD design, advanced programming, CFD analysis, process simulation, thermofluid optimization, renewable energy integration, and multidisciplinary team leadership to deliver innovative, sustainable engineering solutions.

Authors:

Lesme Corredor Universidad del Norte
Alma Nouar-Rodriguez Universidad del Norte
Gabriela Insignares-Quiroz Universidad del Norte
Juliana Insignares-Quiroz Universidad del Norte
Jorge Echeverry-Roman Universidad del Norte
Maicol Marenco Universidad del Norte