General Framework
PV systems have been systematically used for rural electrification in Mexico for more than ten years. Solar home systems are the preferred solution to bring basic electrical services to remote and small communities with no access to the grid. Over 60 000 such systems have been installed to date in more than 2 000 rural communities, benefiting more than 250 000 people. Productive applications are also underway, and other systems such as PV-wind hybrids and rooftops are also being implemented.
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National Programme
There is not a clear-cut national PV program in Mexico. PV projects have been carried out in the context of more general programs, such as poverty alleviation, agricultural infrastructure and technology R&D. Early projects were typically implemented by the federal government. Today, state and municipal governments are taking the lead, fostering the installation of SHS and other PV and PV-wind hybrids for productive applications, in regions where grid extensions are considered uneconomical. This means that PV is gaining its place as a proven alternative for remote applications in Mexico.
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Research and Development
Grid-connected PV R&D activities continued during the year 2000 at the Electrical Research Institute (IIE) with support from the Mexican Energy Secretariat. The aim of this project is to test roof-mounted PV systems for peak power shaving in regions with high ambient temperatures during summer time. Four more such systems, between 1 800 and 2 000 watts in power each, were installed in the year 2000, in a city in north-west Mexico where peak power demand is very high due to the heavy use of air conditioning equipment. Technical guidelines and specifications are also being developed as part of this project, as a means to eventually support the massive implementation of PV rooftops for peak power shaving.
PV-wind hybrids are being studied from two perspectives: by monitoring the performance of mini-grids powered by hybrid systems in remote communities, and by working on an experimental system installed by IIE in the city of Pachuca, a few kilometers north of Mexico City. PV-wind hybrids represent an important option for electricity supply in isolated and remote areas of Mexico where good solar and wind resources are available.
Studies on solar home systems have been extended to cover field and laboratory evaluation of SHS using nickel-metal-hydride batteries. Around 30 such systems have been installed in rural communities and close monitoring of battery performance is underway. Eighty more such systems are soon to be installed.
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Implementation
Professional applications of PV in telecommunications, warning signals, satellite telephones, road emergency phones and others, continue on a business as usual mode.
Rural electrification projects are also been carried out by municipalities and federal agencies such as the National Institute for Indian Affairs. A program to finance the implementation of PV water pumps and other agricultural applications has been implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, with financial support from the World Bank through the GEF.
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Industry Status
Mexican PV industry is mainly devoted to produce balance of system components for SHS, including batteries, lamps and charge controllers. PV modules are still being imported from abroad as is the case of inverters for PV grid-connected systems. A number of companies have been created for the commercialization of PV and renewable energy systems. Foreign companies are venturing with Mexican companies for the same purpose.
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Market Development
Total PV capacity installed in Mexico is currently estimated to be 12,9 MWp. Capacity installed in the year 2000 was close to 1 MWp.
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Future Outlook
PV installations in Mexico will continue its current trend. Driving rural applications is the fact that around 5% of the country's population, equivalent to around 5 million people that live in very small, disperse and remote communities, still do not have access to the national electric grid. New government programs to foster productivity in rural areas will call for local sources of energy, including PV. Professional applications such as satellite telephones, signalling and automatic control devices in offshore oil platforms, cathodic protection and others, are under construction in growing numbers. PV systems used for small eco-hotels is becoming common practice. Grid-connected applications will steadily increase, although at a modest rate in the next few years.
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Further reading about Mexico
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