Clean energies suffer defeat before private interests in Mexico
On April 17, the federal government's energy reform was rejected by the Mexican congress, after failing to obtain the 336 votes in favor necessary to obtain a qualified majority.
Amongst the discussion on this energy reform there are various issues that have been dealt with during these weeks, but an important point to highlight is the favoring of dirty energies, that is, those that generate a serious environmental impact, as occurs with the extraction of hydrocarbons.
Currently, in Mexico, clean energies represent 25% of the electricity generated in the country; figure that must increase to 35% by 2024 to comply with the Climate Change Law of 2013, according to the Mexican Wind Energy Association (AMDEE).
However, the National Electricity System Development Program 2020-2034 recognizes that it will not be possible to meet this goal, agreed by Mexico in the Paris Agreement in 2015. It is not the first time that this goal has not been met, since in 2018 the percentage of clean energy generated was expected to be 25%; however, in 2018 this percentage stood at 23.18%.
Although Mexico is in the midst of an energy transition, it is necessary for the Federal Government to bet on and promote the use of more environmentally friendly energies, says Miguel Ángel Santinelli, director of the Faculty of Social Responsibility of the Anahuac University.
But what are clean energies?
Also called renewable, green or sustainable, they are all those energies that are obtained from sources that are not exhausted. Another of its characteristics is that its emissions or waste are minimal compared to dirty energies.
All the clean energies they have multiple benefits: they contribute to the fight against Climate Change because during their production they do not emit Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), they help reduce diseases related to pollution, they reduce economic uncertainty because they are inexhaustible resources, unlike fossil fuel based energies.
Among clean energies, wind, solar, geothermal, hydraulic and oceanic energies stand out. Santinelli adds that Mexico has great energy potential in this area, since it is the fourth country in the world in solar incidence and the third in geothermal sources.
Above all, with the latter, he tells us that it is Mexico's great opportunity, being a country surrounded by volcanoes. “Geothermal energy is a source of clean energy, with environmental impacts comparable to those of solar and hydraulic energy, which, together, are more environmentally friendly than oil extraction.”
Another important point by which, by promoting clean energy systems in the country, national energy sovereignty can be obtained, which keeps the production and cost of electricity in Mexico under control.
About the Faculty of Social Responsibility of the Anahuac University:
The Faculty of Social Responsibility of the Universidad Anáhuac México, is a Leader in the professional training of people and organizations in matters of Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development at a national and international level, being the only faculty of social responsibility in the world. Our graduates are leaders with a solid human formation but also with extensive training in social responsibility, who from each of their fields of activity, promote actions so that Mexico grows sustainably.
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Last modified: April 14, 2024
