Clean Energy and Carbon Emissions in Mexico’s Electric Power Sector: Past Performance and Current Trend

The concept of clean energy was introduced by the Mexican authorities as part of the wholesale electricity market with the objectives of both measuring the progress in decarbonization and fostering emission-free and low-emission technologies. In the present work, the evolution of clean energy production for the period 2017–2023, corresponding to seven full years of operation of the electricity market, was analyzed and compared to official targets. Emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) was calculated from fuel consumption statistics. The consistency between electricity generation and fuel consumption data has been assessed. The projected short-term evolution of electricity generation and GHG emissions through 2026, locked in by decisions in the recent past, was modeled and discussed. A reduction in carbon intensity from 0.56 gCO2,eq to 0.46 g CO2,eq was found for the 2017–2022 period, in qualitative agreement with official figures, mainly due to the large-scale introduction of wind and solar, as well as some displacement of coal- and fuel oil-fired generation. Total GHG emissions reached a minimum of about 150 Gt CO2,eq/a in 2020–2021; emissions are projected to rise to 190 Gt CO2,eq in 2026, due to a strong rise in natural gas-fired generation from combined-cycle plants and the largely stalled development of wind and solar plants. Clean energy figures were found to decouple from emissions and can therefore not be considered a good proxy for decarbonization. A recent roadmap presented by the incoming federal government does, however, indicate a change in policies which might bring Mexico back on track towards the decarbonization of the electric power sector.