Mandatory Energy Storage Ratio As High As 45%? Mexico "Opens The Floodgates": 3.3 GW Project Approved！

    Solar Storage Planet has learned that the Mexican Ministry of Energy (SENER) has officially approved 20 renewable energy power generation projects. These projects adopt a new "binding planning mechanism", allowing private capital to participate, while ensuring that the state maintains at least a 54% controlling stake through the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). 
This decision marks that Mexico's deployment of renewable energy under the new planning framework has finally moved from the policy level to the practical implementation stage. 
Project scale and storage capacity structure
    The approved projects this time total 20, with a total installed capacity of 3320MW (including 15 photovoltaic and 5 wind power projects). But what caught our attention even more was the 1488MW energy storage system that was simultaneously approved. This is almost a ratio of 1:0.45. To address the issue of grid stability, energy storage has shifted from being an "optional" feature to a "must-have" requirement.

    The project covers 11 federal states, including Campeche, Hidalgo, Yucatán, Guanajuato, and Oaxaca. 
    This means that the subsequent technical solutions must be highly compatible with Mexico's complex geographical environment and the latest grid regulations (Grid Code). The total investment for this batch of projects amounts to 4.752 billion US dollars, and they are expected to be connected to the grid successively between 2027 and 2029.

    According to the official preliminary schedule, the grid connection time of the project is as follows: 
                 2026-2027: 19% of the projects
                 2028: 78% of the projects
                 2029: 3% of the projects
    This phased grid connection arrangement helps to balance the pace of equipment manufacturing, construction and grid connection.       The current thinking of the Mexican government is very clear: It's okay to install new energy sources, but you must also be equipped with energy storage. This is also to solve the long-standing problem of grid stability. 
    Binding Plan: Dancing with shackles on, or speeding past the car in front?
    The approval process for this project adopted the "Binding Plan Mechanism (planeación vinculante)" introduced by SENER. 
The characteristics of this mechanism are: 
    Process Integration: Integrating the traditional multi-stage approval process into a single framework helps to shorten the project implementation cycle;
    54% "red line": Although private enterprises are allowed to invest, SENER clearly requires that the state (through CFE) must maintain at least 54% of the control rights.
    Collaborative Effort: CFE itself has also simultaneously implemented a $7.78 billion power grid upgrade plan. Future projects will no longer be isolated but must be integrated into CFE's one-network planning for the entire grid.

    While private sector projects are advancing at a rapid pace, the latest developments of the largest photovoltaic power station in Latin America, led by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), have also been disclosed. 
Puerto Peñasco (Sonora State) Photovoltaic Center 

    Phase III Project: With a capacity of 300MW and a 90MW energy storage system (lasting for 3 hours), the investment is approximately 347 million US dollars. The contract signing and commencement of construction were initiated in late December 2025. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

    Phase IV Project: Planned to have a capacity of 280MW + 84MW of energy storage. The bidding will start in the first quarter of 2026 and construction is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2028.
    Core Trend: The energy storage configuration logic of this national flagship project (3-hour long-term storage) is highly consistent with the "high-capacity storage" requirements of this privately approved project.
    It is worth noting that the 3.3GW privately approved project this time is completely different in nature from the Puerto Peñasco (Sonora State project) under CFE. The former represents a new opportunity for private capital under the "54% holding framework", while the latter is a symbol of the national energy sovereignty. This means that Mexico is forming a dual-track parallel pattern of national flagship projects as the anchor and privately funded storage projects as the supplements. 

The next round of bidding: Begins in January, with a significantly accelerated pace
According to the Basham Law Firm and official sources, the second round of bidding (Second Call) is expected to commence around January 17th next year. 
    This pace is much faster than what everyone expected. After the Sheinbaum government came to power, although it emphasized the state's control over energy, it also clearly set a target of 45% of non-fossil energy by 2030. Solely relying on the state-owned CFE is unlikely to fill the installed capacity gap. The participation of private capital has become an inevitable choice. 
    Although the policy environment in the Mexican market is complex, the approval of 3.3GW this time has sent out a strong signal: compliance, high-capacity storage, and rapid delivery will be the key to winning the bid in the future, and the ratio of 1:0.45 might just be the beginning. The future storage duration and frequency regulation capabilities will be the core competitiveness for winning the bid. 2028 will be a year of significant delivery, and the current supply chain layout should begin now. 
    Industry insiders predict that the bidding guidelines for January will be released shortly. Enterprises interested in entering the Mexican market can start preliminary research on their technical and business plans in advance.

    (This article is translated from SOLARBE. Please indicate the source when reprinting.)