Renewables point the way to Mexico’s energy security

Mexico's electricity sector is highly dependent on US gas imports, which provided 54% of its electricity in 2024. Ember reports that achieving a 45% clean energy target by 2030—requiring 46 GW of new solar and wind capacity—would reduce gas imports by 20%, save $1.6 billion USD annually, and create over 434,000 direct jobs. The report argues that such a transition is feasible, citing rapid renewable growth in Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, but notes that Mexico must streamline its permitting process, which currently takes up to four years.

• Mexico's electricity sector is heavily dependent on gas imports from the United States, with 54% of total electricity consumed in 2024 generated using these imports. This reliance creates vulnerabilities to geopolitical, climatic, or market restrictions, exacerbated by limited technical reserves that only last three days without fuel supply.
• Achieving a 45% clean electricity generation target by 2030 would reduce gas-fired electricity generation by 20% (from 203.8 TWh in 2024 to 163.4 TWh in 2030) and decrease the need for gas imports by more than 384 billion cubic feet (Bcf) compared to 2024 levels.
• Reaching the 45% clean energy target by 2030 would result in annual savings of $1.6 billion USD in avoided gas import costs. This saving is ten times greater than the savings projected under a 36% clean energy scenario, which would avoid $157 million USD in gas imports.
• To reach the 45% clean energy goal, Mexico would need to install 46 GW of new capacity, consisting of 36 GW of solar and 10 GW of wind power. This expansion would triple renewable generation within five years, increasing the combined share of solar and wind power by 21.3%.
• The installation of 46 GW of solar and wind energy to meet the 45% target could create over 434,000 direct jobs, including 419,000 in the construction phase and more than 15,000 permanent roles for operation over 20 years.
• The report identifies the project licensing process as a critical bottleneck; in Mexico, obtaining permits can take two to four years, whereas in Brazil it takes one to two years and in Uruguay six months to one year.

APA

Suárez, W. (2025). Renewables point the way to Mexico’s energy security. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/05/EN-Report-Renewables-Mexicos-energy-security.pdf

Chicago

Suárez, Wilmar. Renewables point the way to Mexico’s energy security. Ember, 2025. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/05/EN-Report-Renewables-Mexicos-energy-security.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Suárez |first1=Wilmar |title=Renewables point the way to Mexico’s energy security |publisher=Ember |date=19 May 2025 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/05/EN-Report-Renewables-Mexicos-energy-security.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{surez2025renewables, author = {Suárez, Wilmar}, title = {{Renewables point the way to Mexico’s energy security}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2025}, month = may, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/05/EN-Report-Renewables-Mexicos-energy-security.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }