Mexico
Contracting Party: Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Mexico
Executive Committee Member: Jose Manuel Romo Jones, CICESE, Mexico
Alternate Member: Thomas Kretzschmar, CICESE, Mexico
Geothermal energy is the most important non-conventional renewable energy source utilised in Mexico. Although there is a tradition of some direct geothermal energy use, related mainly to balneology, the most important use currently is for electricity generation.
Geothermal development for electricity generation commenced in Mexico in 1959, with the commissioning of the first commercial plant in the Pathé Field (central Mexico). In 2021, the installed geothermal electricity generation capacity was ~1000 MWe, distributed across the Cerro Prieto, Los Azufres, Los Humeros, Las Tres Vírgenes and Domo San Pedro Geothermal Resources. In 2021 geothermal generation amounted to some 4511.5 GWh.
Since February 2019 the bilateral GEMex initiative between Mexico (SENER-CONACyT Energetic Sustainability Fund) and the European Community under Horizon 2020 investigating two unconventional geothermal concepts; an EGS system in Acoculco, Pue., and a superheated system at Los Humeros was drawing to conclusion. The tasks were all completed by the end of 20211. Outputs from this initiative were presented at the WGC 2020+1 and some are available through this link.
The work by CeMIE-Geo has been extended to the end of 2020 for five new projects to be completed. CeMIEGeo’s Digital Collection which includes papers, thesis, and posters is accessible through this link.
