MEXICO

Rodolfo Silva-Casarín CEMIE Océano

SUPPORTING POLICIES FOR OCEAN ENERGY

NATIONAL STRATEGY
Short- and medium-term goals have been set for the generation of electricity from clean energy sources. The Energy Transition Law (LTE) establishes a minimum share of clean energy in electricity generation of 25% by 2018, 30% by 2021 and 35% by 2024.

To strengthen the operation of the Mexican Energy Innovation Centres (CEMIEs), the Technological Roadmap (TRM) for ocean energy is focused on strengthening the technological capabilities required, including infrastructure, specialized human resources and technological services. It also prioritizes the actions required to reach the 2030 goals for installed capacity, as well as detailed activities, identification of stakeholders, targets and milestones in a specific timeframe. In 2018, the incorporation of wind offshore and marine bioenergy to CEMIE-Océano was approved; it is now therefore estimated that Ocean Energy can contribute 500 to 1000 MW of installed capacity by 2030.

The main National Priority Actions for ocean energy are training and capacity building, development of the regulatory frameworks for ocean renewable energy and development of innovative technologies. The approximate budget of the CEMIE-Océano for 2008 was around €5 million.

MARKET INCENTIVES

Mexico has introduced Clean Energy Certificates available to those companies which produce a certain amount of clean electricity or do not produce CO2 emissions, as defined in Article 3, section XXII of the Electricity Industry Law, (ocean energy section). By 2019, it will be obligatory for all the companies that generate energy to have obtained or bought these clean energy certificates to the value of at least 5.8% of the total national energy consumption. This figure is expected to increase to 7.4% by 2020, 10.9% by 2021 and 13.9% by 2022.

Currently, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) is preparing a carbon market. The aim is to create a national and international mechanism to benefit low carbon initiatives. However, time is needed to see how this market interacts with clean energy technologies.

PUBLIC FUNDING PROGRAMMES

The Fund for Energy Transition and the Sustainable Use of Energy was created by the Ministry of Energy (SENER) and the National Science and Technology Council (CONACYT) to promote and support projects and initiatives which contribute to the fulfilment of the National Strategy for Energy Transition and the Sustainable Use of Energy. The objectives of this fund are to:

promote, encourage and disseminate the use and application of clean energy;
promote the diversification of primary sources of energy;
establish a standardization programme for energy efficiency;
promote and disseminate measures for energy efficiency, as well as for saving energy;
propose the necessary measures so that the population has access to reliable, timely and easily accessible information regarding the energy consumption of equipment, devices and vehicles, which operate with electricity.

This fund is intended to develop the national energy sector in energy efficiency, renewable sources, use of clean technologies and diversification of primary sources of energy through:

Capacity building: develop scientific, technological and innovation capacities in academia, industry, society and government; promote the link between the stakeholders from the energy sector;
Research, development and innovation: Identify and prioritize technological development opportunities and promote research to transfer this into commercial applications;
Training: Promote the coordination and information acquisition for timely decision-making; assist in the training of personnel to encourage them to apply and generate knowledge, products and services of high value and; ensure that the energy sector attracts talented individuals;
International agenda: Promote international collaboration in the programmes, projects and activities of the funds.

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