Recently, the Mexican Ministry of Energy announced a new regulation mandating that all newly built wind and solar PV projects must be equipped with energy storage systems accounting for at least 30% of their capacity, with a minimum storage duration of three hours.
Future wind and solar energy projects in Mexico will be required to colocate battery energy storage systems equivalent to 30% of their capacity, a senior government official told the Senate on Tuesday.
Does Mexico have a 30% energy storage mandate?
A month after India introduced an energy storage mandate for renewable energy plants and China scrapped its own, Mexico has stepped forward with an ambitious 30% capacity requirement, alongside plans to add a further 574 MW of batteries by 2028.
In response to more frequent blackouts, Mexico recently developed hybrid plants that have both a solar power generating capacity and battery storage capabilities. As Mexico expands its solar market, we expect companies to increase their investment in battery storage operations to optimize the solar power generated across the country.
However, we expect Mexico to develop its energy storage technologies significantly over the next decade, as well as its lithium mining industry, as it increases its renewable energy capacity as part of a global green energy transition.
Will Mexico expand its solar market?
As Mexico expands its solar market, we expect companies to increase their investment in battery storage operations to optimize the solar power generated across the country. But Mexico will have to improve its regulatory framework for renewable energy for the industry to become more efficient and attractive to investors.
How much solar power does Mexico have in 2021?
Solar power has come a long way in Mexico, with 6,160 MW of cumulative utility-scale solar capacity at the end of 2021. However, the country's battery storage facilities are still limited, meaning that power generation is not optimized.