Mexico

Zodiac Aerospace Equipo de Mexico has agreed to buy solar power from a 13 MW slice of the 80 MW Los Santos Solar II project in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

The energy program will initially relate to combined cycle gas power plants with a capacity of 2.76 GW. No mention was made in electric utility CFE’s official statement of the possibility of increasing capacity by harnessing renewables.

The announcement was given by Manuel Bartlett, the general director of state-owned utility CFE. He also said the current prices of renewables are a lie, while also stressing that their development is a factor determining higher electricity prices.

After being “temporarily suspended” in early December, Mexico’s fourth long-term energy auction has been cancelled. The government said the action was taken in compliance with its legal framework and took into account technical, economic and energy planning considerations.

The editor-in-chief of pv magazine Mexico won first prize in the interview category at this year’s Solar Energy Journalism Awards, organized by the Mexican Solar Energy Association.

Colombia is blessed with an abundance of natural resources. According to data from the Colombia’s National Mining and Energy Planning Unit, UPME and the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), hydro potential is estimated at 56 GW countrywide, while solar is close to 42 GW and wind 15 GW in the Guajira region alone. Today, hydroelectric sources make up 65% of the energy mix, while wind and solar account for just 0.11% and 0.06%, respectively. As these numbers underscore, Colombia has barely scratched the surface of its renewable potential.

The figure is represented by 39 utility-scale solar plants across 11 states and approximately 85,000 contracts for distributed-generation PV systems.

The country’s fourth long-term power auction, originally scheduled for November, will now be held on December 18. The preliminary call for the auction was made in March.

The Energía Limpia de La Laguna project, owned by Mexican fund Balam, is located in the state of Durango. The plant incorporates 108,314 polycrystalline modules on 98 single-axis trackers.

The U.S. microinverter maker has said the capacity increase will be made under its partnership with the Flex Group. It will start delivering devices produced in Mexico to the U.S. market, starting in the second quarter of 2019.