General Framework
Good sunshine availability throughout the year makes the use of PV systems an attractive option for remote power supply as well as grid-connected applications in Mexico. Solar home systems, small water pumps and a variety of professional applications, mostly for telecommunications, have been installed for more than a decade in this country. A few small pilot grid connected systems have also been installed.
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National Programme
Still no national PV programme has been instrumented by the central government. Nevertheless, more than 500 kW of SHS were installed during 2001, through poverty alleviation programmes operated by municipal authorities.
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Research and Development
Grid-connected PV R&D activities continued during 2001. Installed pilot systems for peak power sharing in the city of Mexicali, were monitored to determine the system’s performance. Another pilot 1,7 kW system was installed in the city of Hermosillo, in northwest Mexico, for the same purpose.
PV-wind hybrids research continued during 2001. Strategies for system control were tested in connection with productive activities to foster the use of this technology in rural areas.
A pilot PV rural electrification project involving the use of nickelmetal-hydride
batteries was carried out in a mountain village in the southern state of Oaxaca.
Some of the systems involved were instrumented for battery evaluation purposes.
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Industry Status
Mexican industry is manufacturing almost all BOS components for PV small off-grid installations. High capacity inverters for both grid-connected and off-grid applications are been imported as well as some battery banks for professional installations.
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Market Development
The Mexican PV market for 2001 was 1 043 kW, with the following segmentation: Rural Electrification 521 kW, Telecommunications 313 kW, Offshore oil platforms 104 kW, water pumping and cathodic protection 52 kW. Cumulative PV installations in Mexico by the end of 2001 were close to 13 MWp.
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Future Outlook
In the National Energy Programme 2001 – 2006, the Federal Government has declared renewable energy of national interest. Policy actions are being instrumented to encourage private sector participation in new renewable energy projects and to expand the scope of previous programmes such as PV rural electrification.
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Further reading about Mexico
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