Latin America is starting its energy transition. In Colombia, with its abundant natural resources and fossil fuel reserves, hydrogen (H₂) could play a key role. This contribution analyzes the potential of blue H₂ production in Colombia as a possible driver of the H₂ economy. The study assesses the natural resources available to produce blue H₂ in the context of the recently launched National Hydrogen Roadmap. Results indicate that there is great potential for low-emission blue H₂ production in Colombia using coal as feedstock. Such potential, besides allowing a more sustainable use of non-renewable resources, would pave the way for green H₂ deployment in Colombia. Blue H₂ production from coal could range from 700 to 8000 ktH₂/year by 2050 under conservative and ambitious scenarios, respectively, which could supply up to 1.5% of the global H₂ demand by 2050. However, while feedstock availability is promising for blue H₂ production, carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture capacities and investment costs could limit this potential in Colombia. Indeed, results of this work indicate that capture capacities of 15 to 180 MtCO₂/year (conservative and ambitious scenarios) need to be developed by 2050, and that the required investment for H₂ deployment would be above that initially envisioned by the government. Further studies on carbon capture, utilization and storage capacity, implementation of a clear public policy, and a more detailed hydrogen strategy for the inclusion of blue H₂ in the energy mix are required for establishing a low-emission H₂ economy in the country.

The catalytic activity for dimethyl carbonate formation from carbon dioxide and methanol over mono and bimetallic Cu:Ni supported on activated carbon is presented. Bimetallic catalysts exhibit higher catalytic activity than the monometallic samples, being Cu:Ni-2:1 (molar ratio) the best catalyst; X-Ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and metal dispersion analysis provided insight into the improved activity. In situ FT-IR experiments were conducted to investigate the mechanism of formation of dimethyl carbonate from methanol and carbon dioxide over Cu-Ni:2-1. The kinetics of the direct synthesis of dimethyl carbonate in gas phase over Cu:Ni-2:1 supported on activated carbon catalyst was experimentally investigated at 12 bar and temperatures between 90 °C and 130 °C, varying the partial pressures of CO₂ and methanol. Experimental kinetic data were consistent with a Langmuir–Hinshelwood model that included carbon dioxide and methanol adsorption on catalyst actives sites (Cu, Ni and Cu-Ni), and the reaction of adsorbed CO₂ with methoxi species as the rate determining step. The estimated apparent activation energy was 94.2 kJ mol^-1.

Renewable Energy Communities are expected to play a key role in the decarbonization of power systems, but their design and operation involve multiple, often conflicting objectives and evolving regulatory frameworks. However, prospective REC promoters and members must make early-stage design choices under policy constraints while balancing economic, environmental, and reliability goals, which motivates the need for transparent and reproducible decision-support tools. This paper presents Adapters, a two-level decision-making tool that couples long-term planning with short-term operational adaptation for hybrid renewable energy systems. The core optimisation model is explicitly multi-objective, with three weighted terms (w₁, w₂, and w₃) that represent total cost, CO₂ emissions, and unserved energy, respectively, allowing users to explore trade-offs between economic performance, environmental impact, and reliability. The tool integrates detailed component models (such as photovoltaic, wind, and battery storage) with a flexible optimisation layer and architecture compatible with digital-twin approaches. Its capabilities are illustrated through prototype single-household case studies, showing how different stakeholder preferences and regulatory conditions can be reflected in the choice of objective weights and system configurations. The overall aim is to provide a transparent and reproducible environment to support the emergence and operation of RECs in line with EU energy and climate goals.