Yet governments across the region—while supportive of solar in policy terms—aren’t directly funding the infrastructure needed. And many of the projects we’re talking about are “too small” for traditional finance. A 1 MW distributed solar farm costs in the region of $1 million. That’s below the investment threshold for most institutional capital. It’s also too fiddly for typical public-private partnership models. The transaction costs alone kill the deal.

That’s the gap. And it’s where Suno steps in.

Fractional Ownership, Real-World Results

Suno is a startup operating out of Colombia that uses blockchain-based tokenization to fund these small-scale solar projects. Now, before you roll your eyes—this isn’t another memecoin. This is blockchain done right.

Here’s how it works:

Each solar project is split into tiny digital ownership tokens (called “pWatts”). Investors are able to participate with a much lower minimum than is typically possible in traditional infrastructure investing - opening the door to a more inclusive investor base. When the solar project starts generating revenue, yield gets distributed automatically via smart contracts to the token holders.

This creates a few compelling benefits:

• Access: Anyone, anywhere can co-own part of a solar farm.

• Speed: No middlemen, less paperwork, faster deployment.

• Transparency: Payments and project performance are all recorded on-chain.

For those who prefer to spread risk across projects, there’s also a second token: the “uWatt.”. It’s backed by a pool of pWatts from multiple projects. If one solar farm underperforms, others can balance it out. Yields are paid out in stablecoins, and average around 13% annually.

This isn’t theory. Suno has already funded $6 million worth of solar mini-farms, producing more than 5 GWh of clean energy and distributing nearly $1 million in yield to over 3,500 token holders.

And here’s the kicker—they’ve done all this operating solely in Colombia. The regulatory environment is still forming, but for now, it’s possible to test and iterate in a way that’s often stifled elsewhere.

A Smarter Way to Scale Climate Infrastructure

One of the things Rob and I kept circling back to in our chat was this: why aren’t more multilateral banks, development agencies, and philanthropies looking at models like this?

For decades, the standard approach has been donation or grant funding. But what if you could invest instead? What if someone in Europe or Asia could put $100 into a project in Colombia or Senegal and get a steady yield while delivering a real-world impact?

It’s not hard to imagine a diversified impact portfolio made up of solar farms, water access projects, mini waste treatment plants, and more. Each one tokenized. Each one accessible to ordinary investors. And each one offering both a return and a result.

Of course, there are challenges. Regulation is still catching up. User experience in Web3 is often clunky. And the industry’s reputation hasn’t been helped by waves of speculation and scammy coins. But progress is being made. Wallets are becoming invisible to users. On-ramps are getting smoother. The technology is maturing.

In time, I think we’ll see more governments and institutions warm to the idea that not all tokens are created equal. Some are silly. Some are speculative. But some—like the ones Suno is building—are infrastructure in disguise.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just a story about solar farms in Colombia. It’s about rethinking how we fund change. It’s about using Web3 for its highest purpose—not speculation, but inclusion.

Imagine if your local bank account paid you 13% interest for helping people get access to clean energy. Imagine if your investment portfolio also helped reduce blackouts, power schools, or deliver clean water. That’s the world we should be building toward.

It’s not hype. It’s just smart.

And it’s already happening.

Let’s Build Better Systems Together

I’m Ben Sheppard—a startup coach and tech strategist working at the intersection of AI and infrastructure. I’m also the co-founder of Silta Finance, where we’re helping institutions reimagine how due diligence, financing, and infrastructure delivery can be improved through AI.

If you’re a founder, policymaker, or investor exploring how to bring real-world utility into your work—especially in emerging markets or digital infrastructure—I’d love to connect.

You can reach me at bensheppardxyz@gmail.com or explore more of what I do at bensheppard.xyz.

Let’s talk about what’s possible—then make it happen.