.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1 "Rixi Moncada")
Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico, has announced that her government will prepare to present an unprecedented National Energy Plan. This plan includes new inversions to implement an “ambitious energy transition program” that gives priority to renewable sources with the aim of reducing greenhouse gases, aiming for green energies to represent 45% of the energy matrix by 2030.
This will be the first federal-level project to address energy transformation in the country. Sheinbaum mentioned that he will launch an initiative in northern cities that will facilitate access to photovoltaic panels, which will promote the reduction of electricity consumption and offer environmental benefits.
During her campaign, Sheinbaum pledged to make regulatory and tax adjustments to promote the adoption of renewable energy generation models. He also said that more resources will be allocated to the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) for the construction of ecological power plants and the rehabilitation of hydroelectric plants, with an estimated reversal of $13.6 million.
As for the production of hydrocarbons, the president indicates that the objective of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) will be to satisfy national consumption, limited to 1.8 million barrels per day, with the intention of this emphasis not compromising environmental sustainability.
Sheinbaum highlighted the importance of strengthening alliances with the private sector, noting that “we all benefit from strong state-owned companies that deliver clean energy at low prices.” It will maintain the concession policy of the previous government, with CFE and Pemex controlling 54% of electricity generation, while 46% will be left in the hands of private companies.
Problems in the energy transition
Despite these planes, Mexico encounters significant results in the adoption of green energy. It is one of the 15 largest emitters of greenhouse gases globally, and much of the contamination comes from power and oil plants. López Obrador's administration has been criticized for prioritizing state control over energy production, which has led to a decrease in alternative energy inversions.
Generating electricity from clean sources has been debilitating. The Secretaría de Energía (Sener) reported that in the last year the production of renewable energy was 8.2% and that the goal of generating 35% clean energy for 2024 seems increasingly difficult to achieve .
Earlier this year, Sener updated its transition strategy to promote cleaner technologies and fuels, but it does not expect Mexico to have the conditions necessary to increase electricity generation from clean sources until 2027.
The Indicative Program for the Instalación y Retiro de Centrales Eléctricas (PIIRCE) establishes the need to install a combined infrastructure of clean and conventional technologies between 2023 and 2026, with a target of 8,858 megavatios (MW). During this period, conventional energies will continue to be predominant, generating 84.6% of the required capacity, while clean energies will account for only 15.4%.
The energy transition in Mexico presents itself as a crucial challenge that requires strategic and collaborative commitment to achieve a more sustainable future.
