For decades, La Guajira has suffered from chronic water scarcity, worsened by recurring droughts, the El Niño climate phenomenon, and inadequate infrastructure. The Wayuu communities, the largest Indigenous group in Colombia and Venezuela, often depend on unsafe water sources or costly water deliveries. The new solar-powered desalination plant offers a sustainable alternative: converting salty groundwater into clean, affordable drinking water. 

Installed on the school’s grounds, the plant produces up to 2,000 liters of potable water per hour – about 12,000 liters per day – providing for 1,600 students, teachers, and nearby households. Running exclusively on solar energy, it avoids fossil fuels and saves an estimated 100 tons of CO₂ emissions each year. 

German Technology, Local Benefits 

At the heart of the project is the Winture® technology, engineered in Berlin. The system runs entirely on solar power and uses advanced reverse osmosis to remove 99 percent of salts and contaminants. Its modular container design enables easy installation and maintenance, while remote monitoring makes it possible to adjust operations directly from Berlin. 

For Fundación Terrazul, this adaptability was key: “The Winture® technology directly addresses the lack of access to clean drinking water. It provides a reliable, solar-powered solution that works without batteries or grid connection and is perfectly suited for remote areas like La Guajira.” 

Although a smaller-capacity plant was chosen for Mayapo, Boreal Light also manufactures large-scale systems for industrial use in agriculture, food production, or even hydrogen generation. 

A Strong Partnership

The project’s success was the result of close collaboration between German and Colombian partners. Gespa e.V. acted as client and overall coordinator, while Fundación Terrazul managed local implementation and training programs. “The collaboration with Boreal Light was very positive,” the organization emphasized. “Their team worked closely with us, shared knowledge openly, and ensured that the installation process was smooth and well adapted to our local conditions.” 

“Today we are witnessing a very concrete example of German-Colombian cooperation that brings tangible improvements to local living conditions,” said Stephan Reichert of the German Embassy in Colombia at the inauguration ceremony.  

Local leaders highlighted the difference the project makes in everyday life. “We are improving the quality of life for more than 1,600 children every day,” stressed Jhon Pimienta, Mayor of Manaure. while others reminded participants of the project’s fundamental value: “These investments save lives—and that is the most valuable achievement,” said Jairo Aguilar, governor of the La Guajira department. 

Looking Ahead: Scaling for Latin America 

Boreal Light is already planning the next steps: The company intends to establish a regional hub in Colombia, including a training center to equip local professionals with the skills needed for installation, operation, and maintenance of solar desalination systems. This hub would allow the technology to be expanded across Latin America, supported by German engineering expertise and strong local partnerships

With the RES programme, the German Energy Solutions Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economical Affairs and Energy supports German companies in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors enter new markets. Within the framework of the programme, reference plants are installed and marketed with the support of the German Energy Agency (dena). Information and training activities help ensure a sustainable market entry and demonstrate the quality of climate-friendly technologies made in Germany.