The current problems in the Mexican industry

Mexico is facing a critical moment on its path to decarbonization. Despite laws such as the Energy Transition Act (2015) or the Climate Change Act (2012), the country is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels: approximately 75.7% of the energy generated in 2023 was of fossil origin, in front of solo 24.3% of renewables (mexicoindustry.com, kpmg.com).

Emissions from the energy sector in Mexico show high carbon intensity—58 tCO₂ per terajoule consumed, above the G20 average (57 tCO2/TJ) (Climate-transparency.org). In addition, the transition has been going backwards: from generating almost 35% of electricity with renewables in 2024, the country failed to achieve these goals and is facing regimes that favor fossil energy (elpais.com).

In the industrial field, the challenge is twofold: maintaining competitiveness and reducing the carbon footprint. According to KPMG Mexico, the industry must move away from fossil fuels while facing regulatory uncertainty and a historic prioritization of the public sector over the private sector (kpmg.com). In light manufacturing alone, the potential for reducing emissions could be close to 48% by 2050 (en.wri.org).

Why is solar + storage the one-stop solution?

Untapped solar potential and financial accessibility

Mexico has enormous potential for solar energy: 70% of the territory receives more than 4.5 kWh/m² daily, making it feasible to supply the entire country with only a fraction (0.1%) of its surface (en.wikipedia.org). In 2024, the installed solar capacity reached 11.99 GW, generating around 27.6 TWh and representing the 7.6% of total electricity.

In addition, the investment returns (ROI) have been significantly reduced in recent years. Where previously a solar-industrial project could take 6 to 8 years to recover its investment, today it is common to see periods of return of 2 years, depending on the electrical consumption profile. Storage further reinforces this equation, allowing greater savings through schemes such as Peak Shaving and backup against interruptions.

In addition to this, there are specialized funding models (EaaS) that eliminate the initial investment barrier:

• PPA (Power Purchase Agreements): long-term energy purchase contracts that allow access to cheaper electricity without directly purchasing infrastructure. A third party installs, operates and maintains the solution, while the company only pays for the energy consumed.
  
  
• Financial and operating leases: facilitate the implementation of panels and batteries as a deductible expense, without compromising working capital.
  
  

These schemes mean that more and more industries can access decarbonization solutions without compromising their CAPEX budgets, transferring benefits directly to OPEX and obtaining savings from day one.

Concrete benefits for the industry

• Direct reduction of Scope 2: By generating part or all of the energy consumed, electricity supply costs and associated emissions are significantly reduced.
  
  
• Scope 3 Mitigation: integrating solar and batteries helps provide clean energy to suppliers and chains, reducing indirect emissions from the source.
  
  
• Operational stability: Storage cushions the effects of intermittency and prevents costly interruptions.
  
  
• Energy savings and independence: better long-term prices in the face of volatile subsidies and market pressure.
  
  
• Image and funding: Advancing sustainability strengthens reputation and facilitates access to ESG investments.
  
  

Key facts and context that support this commitment

• In 2023, only 24.3% of electricity came from renewable sources, which highlights the current slope (kpmg.com).
  
  
• The new energy storage legislation encourages its integration into the electrical system (en.wikipedia.org).
  
  
• The manufacturing sector has a high potential to reduce emissions, close to 48% by 2050 (en.wri.org).
  
  
• Mexico has one of the highest solar radiation parameters available globally, an underutilized resource that could transform the energy matrix (en.wikipedia.org, Trade.gov).
  
  

Conclusion: What can your company do?

The Mexican industry, both heavy and light, has a lot to gain by adopting solar energy combined with storage. This strategy not only drives the reduction of Scope 2 and 3 emissions, but it also improves energy resilience, reduces costs and reinforces competitiveness.

The best thing is that today there are schemes that make it possible to implement these solutions without initial investment, achieving immediate savings and ensuring a clear path to decarbonization.

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