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Mexican Government to Bet Heavily on Green Energy
 The News
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March 31, 2010
Cancún – In the next few years, the Mexican government will bet heavily on alternative energies, such as nuclear, to increase the use of these energies from the current 22 percent to 26 percent in 2012 and 35 percent in 2024.
Georgina Kessel Martínez, Energy Secretary, said on Tuesday that this is an “ambitious goal” that can be achieved by increasing the production of energy in existing plants and by promoting a larger production of nuclear energy.
During the inauguration of the XII International Energy Forum and the IV International Energy Businesses Forum in Cancún, Kessel acknowledged that Mexico must increase its use of alternative energy sources.
“The goal is that at the end of this administration 26 percent of our generated energy will come from these types of energy sources. We have an ambitious goal, we aim that in 2024, in 15 years, 35 percent of our energy will come from ‘clean sources,’” she said.
Kessel also said that traditional renewable sources should be boosted, including wind power, solar, or biomass, as well as “other options, like nuclear.”
“We are first analyzing the benefit of increasing our generation of nuclear energy. This is part of the analysis conducted by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and the Energy Secretariat, through which we will determine where the new facilities will be located,” she said.
At the beginning of the administration of President Felipe Calderón, in December 2006, Mexico did not have any renewable energy plants, but this has gradually changed.
“Our very first wind power plant was inaugurated in 2007. Currently, it generates 500 megawatts. Our aim is to generate 2,500 megawatts with wind power in 2012, by the time the administration of President Calderón ends,” Kessel stated.
The secretary stressed the important role renewable energies play in preserving the environment by decreasing the emissions of greenhouse gases.
“We are working intensely in actions related to energy efficiency,” she added.
Furthermore, Kessel said that Mexico needs to increase its oil reserve through the reserve restitution rate. She reported that the rate increased to 20 percent in the past year, meaning that for every oil barrel produced, only an equivalent of 20 percent of each barrel was restored by the reserves. The goal of the government is to achieve a reserve restitution rate of 100 percent and maintain that percentage by the end of President Calderón’s term. |
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