President Enrique Peña Nieto inaugurated the first phase of the "Don Alejo” Photovoltaic Solar Power Plant, which has been made possible by Energy Reform.

Highlights: 

- $38 million USD were invested in this project, which was led by Mexican engineers. 

- It has an installed capacity of 21 megawatts, equivalent to the electricity consumption of more than 20,000 households. It will prevent the annual emission of 22,500 tons of CO2.

- This project will have a total investment of $800 million USD and be equipped with 1.6 million solar panels, with a capacity of 400 MW, making it the largest photovoltaic power plant in Latin America.

- This power plant is complemented by the first phase of the IUSASO Photovoltaic Panel Factory, in which $70 million USD were invested, which will produce 500,000 panels a year. It is the largest, most modern photovoltaic panel factory in Latin America.

- Each panel generates up to 30% of the electricity consumption of an average household.

Renewable energy

Mexico has the potential to generate electricity from clean sources. Its variety of climates and geographical location make it an ideal place for undertaking renewable energy projects. 

It has average annual radiation of between 5 and 6 kilowatt-hours per square meter. This is almost double the amount received in Germany, the world’s leading solar power generator (Mexico ranks 25th).

By November 2015, Mexico had 16,719 megawatts of renewable generation capacity (water, wind, solar and geothermal), equivalent to 26% of the country’s installed capacity. This is 50% more than it had in 1999 (10,371 mega-watts). 

Energy Reform

One of the main objectives of Energy Reform is to promote the generation of clean energy, meaning that it is a green reform.

Accordingly, the Energy Transition Act was issued, which establishes intermediate goals of power generation with clean energies: 25% for 2018 and 30% for 2021.

Mexico is thus on the route to generating 35% of its electricity from clean energy sources by 2024 and 60% by 2050 and world leader in clean energy generation, thereby confirming its commitment to the care and preservation of the environment.