Colombia has set the highest goal in Latin America for emissions reductions of 51% by 2030 and is playing a leading role in the region according to the Energy Transition Index of the World Economic Forum. To that end, SC Andes recently partnered with Promigas, a leading gas distributor and transporter in Colombia and Peru, to develop hydrogen mobility solutions in Colombia.

“Hydrogen is leading the revolution in mobility transformation, and our combined experience brings the right kind of resources together to create real, scalable solutions for the future mobility industry in Colombia, and even beyond,” said Juan Manuel Rojas Payán, President of Promigas.

Sumitomo Corporation in the Americas has emerged as a strong supporter of hydrogen technology, especially in the mobility space. Last year, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas invested in OneH2, a hydrogen production and distribution company providing fuel for immediate use, primarily for forklifts, throughout the United States. This became the catalyst conversation to the collaboration between Sumitomo Corporation Andes and Promigas.

SC Andes looks to establish a collaboration between the two companies to assess the opportunities related to hydrogen mobility within the Colombian marketplace. This includes studying and analyzing the market for developing a Proof of Concept, and then analyzing the potential of a commercially viable solution for the transportation and logistics sectors within the country.

Promigas has a proven track-record connecting markets in Peru and Colombia to stable energy sources and generating value through responsible environmental management. Promigas belongs to Grupo Aval, one of the largest conglomerates in Colombia and a Forbes Global 2000 organization. Both of these organizations have a direct communication channel with government contacts, and strongly believe that hydrogen will be part of the new administration’s agenda, along with its desire to speed up energy transition.

“I believe that Sumitomo’s vast global network and resources, paired with Promigas’ operational excellence and local knowledge, will make this collaboration a success. It is an honor to join forces with a global organization so rich in history, values and experience,” added Rojas.

Industry leaders note that hydrogen could emerge as the most suitable resource to decarbonize the transportation sector in Colombia due to the country’s wide spread population, long distances and extreme terrains which include snow-capped volcanic mountains, abrasive deserts and jungles of the inter-Andean valleys. 

“We are excited to begin this collaboration with Promigas, a widely-respected company and trusted partner within the energy industry,” said Takahiro Saito, President, Sumitomo Corporation Andes.

Experience aside, both companies are rooted in values that go beyond business objectives and share the same vision of enriching society through sustainable development. Both entities will have the opportunity to be part of a region-wide energy transition as well as further both Sumitomo Corporation and Promigas’ sustainable development goals.

From left to right: Mr. Juan Manuel Rojas, CEO of Promigas; and Mr. Masayuki Hyodo, Global CEO of Sumitomo Corporation 
From left to right: Mr. Juan Pablo Reyes, Andean Region EII Director at SCAN; Mr. Marco Sanjuan, Head of Innovation Department at Promigas; Mr. Nobuhiro Yoshida, President of South America and of SCBR; Mr. Alejandro Villalba, Vice-president of operations and innovation at Promigas; Mr. Takahiro Saito, President of SCAN; and Mr. Michael Peñalver, Mobility Manager at Promigas 
Industry leaders note that hydrogen could emerge as the most suitable resource to decarbonize the transportation sector in Colombia due to the country’s wide spread population, long distances and extreme terrains which include snow-capped volcanic mountains, abrasive deserts and jungles of the inter-Andean valleys.