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Dewhurst Group and GENSA seek to generate electricity from wasted heat
A binary-cycle unit, a system that converts heat into electricity, could generate approximately 6 megawatts of electric power at GENSA's Termopaipa Thermal Power Plant. This would make it Colombia's first industrial-scale power generation facility to harness waste heat from exhaust gases and would complement the Cóndor Paipa Geothermal Project, which aims to generate up to 35 megawatts.
Colombia, November 2026. Around the clock, the Termopaipa Thermal Power Plant releases exhaust gases through its stack at a temperature of approximately 200°C, presenting an opportunity for clean energy generation. Dewhurst Group, a company specializing in geothermal exploration and development, estimates that this heat could be converted into approximately 6 megawatts of electricity.
Dewhurst Group is working closely with Gestión Energética S.A. E.S.P. (GENSA), the Colombian company that operates Termopaipa, to develop a modular unit that converts heat into electricity and would be installed alongside the plant's exhaust gas system. This unit would require no additional coal or combustion; it would generate additional electricity from heat that currently goes unused.
How Does It Work?
This technology uses heat from the combustion gases released through the plant's exhaust stack to generate electricity without burning additional coal. The heat is transferred to a special fluid that boils at a lower temperature than water. The resulting vapor drives a turbine connected to an electricity generator. The vapor is then cooled, returns to its liquid state, and circulates again to repeat the process. The entire system would occupy an area of approximately 12.5 × 14 meters next to the plant's exhaust stack.
How Can a Coal-Fired Power Plant Be a Step Toward Geothermal Energy?
The connection lies in the technology: binary-cycle systems are among the most widely used solutions in geothermal power plants worldwide. Termopaipa is located next to the Cóndor Paipa exploration block, a geothermal project in Colombia for which the Ministry of Mines and Energy granted Dewhurst Group a geothermal exploration permit in February 2026. The Termopaipa unit is designed to be relocated and reused at Cóndor Paipa once the geothermal resource has been confirmed.
In Colombia, some pilot binary-cycle projects have been developed in oil fields at the kilowatt scale, but none at the industrial scale. The Termopaipa unit would be the first of its kind in the country. In April 2026, GENSA and Dewhurst Group signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop the Cóndor Paipa Geothermal Project, which aims to generate up to 35 megawatts, and to study the recovery of waste heat from the existing coal-fired power plant.
What Their Representatives Say
DEWHURST GROUP
“Termopaipa already produces the heat. We will turn it into megawatts. Every hour of operation of this binary-cycle technology will give us experience that we will take directly to Cóndor Paipa. This is how geothermal energy begins in Colombia.”
Kerry McCallum
Chief Development Engineer, Dewhurst Group
GENSA
“For GENSA, the development of geothermal energy, particularly the Cóndor Paipa project, is crucial to supplying clean, firm power to this area of Boyacá, given the project's potential in energy, tourism, social integration, and workforce transition, among other areas.”
William Sepúlveda
President, GENSA
Next Steps
Engineering work, cost estimates, and permitting activities for the installation of this new unit began in August 2026 and will continue as part of the Cóndor Paipa Geothermal Project. If the results confirm the initiative's feasibility, the next steps will be detailed engineering and investment.
Download the Official Press Release (English PDF)
About Dewhurst Group
Dewhurst Group is a company specializing in geothermal exploration and development, with operations in the United States and Colombia. Through Dewhurst Group S.A.S., based in Bogotá, the company holds the geothermal exploration permit for Cóndor Paipa, located in Paipa, Boyacá, and provides engineering and consulting services for clean energy projects.
More information: https://www.dewhurstgroup.us
About GENSA
Gestión Energética S.A. E.S.P. (GENSA) is a Colombian energy company headquartered in Manizales. It owns and operates the Termopaipa Thermal Power Plant, located in Paipa, Boyacá.
Press Contact
Laura Gallo
Communications Coordinator
Dewhurst Group – Cóndor Paipa Geothermal Project media@dewhurstgroup.us
Access high-resolution photographs, an illustrative 3D model, and official press releases in English and Spanish.
Learn More About the Cóndor Paipa Geothermal Project
Read the official announcement about the geothermal exploration permit granted for the project in Paipa, Boyacá, and learn about one of its key development milestones.
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