Energy in Mexico describes energy and electricity production, consumption and import in Mexico.
In 2008, Mexico produced 234 TWh of electricity, of which, 86 TWh was from thermal plants, 39 TWh from hydropower, 18 TWh from coal, 9.8 TWh from nuclear power, 7 TWh from geothermal power and 0.255 TWh from wind power.[2] Mexico is among the world's top oil producers and exporters.
Energy in Mexico[3] | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Capita | Prim. energy | Production | Export | Electricity | CO2-emission | |
Million | TWh | TWh | TWh | TWh | Mt | |
2004 | 104.0 | 1,925 | 2,952 | 1,002 | 188 | 374 |
2007 | 105.7 | 2,143 | 2,920 | 723 | 214 | 438 |
2008 | 106.6 | 2,100 | 2,717 | 549 | 215 | 408 |
2009 | 107.4 | 2,031 | 2,559 | 492 | 218 | 400 |
2010 | 108.3 | 2,071 | 2,633 | 508 | 226 | 417 |
2012 | 109.2 | 2,165 | 2,654 | 418 | 250 | 432 |
2012R | 117.1 | 2,191 | 2,547 | 266 | 246 | 436 |
2013 | 118.4 | 2,224 | 2,518 | 253 | 255 | 452 |
Change 2004-10 | 4.1% | 7.6% | -10.8% | -49.3% | 20.3% | 11.6% |
Mtoe = 11.63 TWh. Prim. energy includes energy losses
2012R = CO2 calculation criteria changed, numbers updated |
The petroleum industry in Mexico makes Mexico the eleventh largest producer of oil in the world and the thirteenth largest in terms of net exports. Mexico has the seventeenth largest oil reserves in the world, and it is the fourth largest oil producer in the Western Hemisphere behind the United States, Canada and Venezuela.[4] Mexico is a member of OPEC+ the North American Free Trade Agreement.
The petroleum sector is crucial to the Mexican economy; while its oil production has fallen in recent years, oil revenues still generate over 10% of Mexico's export earnings.[5] High taxes on the revenues of Pemex provide about a third of all the tax revenues collected by the Mexican government.[6]Renewable energy in Mexico contributes to 26 percent of electricity generation in Mexico. As of 2009, electricity generation from renewable energy comes from biomass, hydro power, geothermal, solar power and wind. There is a long term effort established to increase the use of renewable energy sources. The amount of geothermal energy used and harvested, places Mexico as number four in the world.[7]
As the importance of clean sustainable energy becomes more prevalent, the country and government officials continue to invest in research and innovations to continue to allow Mexico to be a leading example of renewable energy. Predictions based on current energy standings lead the country to anticipate by 2035, the 26 percent renewable energy in Mexico will rise to 35 percent.
Not only will this prove a more sustainable future it also increases jobs in rural areas. Jobs increased by 14 percent within the last 8 years in the renewable energy sector. With the objection to create more in-home jobs for residents of Mexico, an increase in sustainable energy, results in lower demand for conventional fuels such as fuel oil, petrol gas, coal and natural gas. With lower demand for these fuels, mainly gasoline and diesel and on the rise jet fuel, this will result in a lower need for imports. With relying on fewer imports, national security is higher.Mexico had the sixth greatest geothermal energy production in 2019.[8][9][10] Mexico is home to the largest geothermal power stations in the world, the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Power Station.
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Mexico is rapidly growing its production of wind power. In 2016, its installed capacity had reached 3,527 MW,[11][12] increasing to 8,128 MW in 2020.[13]
In 2008, there were three wind farms in the country. The Eurus Wind Farm was the largest wind farm in Latin America.[14] 18 of 27 wind farms construction projects were based in La Ventosa[15] in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca.[16] According to the Mexican Wind Energy Association, Mexico was predicted to progress to rank twentieth worldwide in wind capacity by the end of 2012, and to produce four percent of the country's total electricity production.[15] It also projected that the nation would have 12 GW (16,000,000 hp) of wind generation capacity by 2020, and would be able to provide fifteen percent of Mexico's production.[15] Brian Gardner, Economist Intelligence Unit's energy analyst, said, "With strong wind through the south, consistent sunlight in the north and a stable market, Mexico is well positioned for continued renewables growth".[15] Wind power is in partial competition with Solar power in Mexico.[17]
As required by the Constitution, the electricity sector is federally owned, with the Federal Electricity Commission (Comisión Federal de Electricidad or CFE) essentially controlling the whole sector; private participation and foreign companies are allowed to operate in the country only through specific service contracts. Attempts to reform the sector have traditionally faced strong political and social resistance in Mexico, where subsidies for residential consumers absorb substantial fiscal resources.
The electricity sector in Mexico relies heavily on thermal sources (75% of total installed capacity), followed by hydropower generation (19%). Although exploitation of solar, wind, and biomass resources has a large potential, geothermal energy is the only renewable source (excluding hydropower) with a significant contribution to the energy mix (2% of total generation capacity). Expansion plans for the period 2006-2015 estimate the addition of some 14.8 GW of new generation capacity by the public sector, with a predominance of combined cycles.The Secretariat of Energy (Spanish: Secretaría de Energia) is the government department in charge of production and regulation of energy in Mexico, this secretary is a member of the Executive Cabinet.
The current Secretariat of Energy under Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO)