Heavy reliance on fossil fuels is a common theme across the Mexican Northern Border States with the notable exception of Baja California (which gets over 30% of its public service electricity from the Cerro Prieto geothermal plant). Despite abundant wind, solar and bioenergy resources, Northern Mexico has yet to fully embrace the energy transition, but this could rapidly change in the next few years. Mexico's recent Energy Reform, which included modifications to the Constitution in December 2013 and a comprehensive package of implementing legislation on August of 2014, represents a fundamental transformation of the sector.
Both countries have steady growth in per capita Th h h d i d b d i h i Economy and Energy in the border region • The energy that has underpinned border region growth is similar to the current global energy mix consisting of oil (36%), natural gas (24%), coal (28%), nuclear (6%), hydro (6%) and renewable energy such as biomass, wind and solar (about 2%). [...] • Vulnerability of the energy sector in Northern Mexico Th d ti d d d ill i t t l• The production and energy demand will require structural modifications, given that a major part of their operations are vulnerable in the face of extreme hydro-meteorological t i l d i i l t t llevents, maximal and minimal temperatures, as well as wind intensity (INE, 2006) Environmental considerations Renewable sou. [...] The border region has one the best potential for solar power in the world, in particular the Baja California/California and Sonora/Arizona regions with anCalifornia/California and Sonora/Arizona regions with an average solar insolation of 5 kWh/m2 Environmental considerations Renewable sources of energy in the border region • Wind power. [...] The border region has wind resources classified from good to excellent, particularly in Baja California and the Tamaulipas/Texas region Renewable sources of energy in the border region Tamaulipas/Texas region. [...] Environmental considerations Renewable sources of energy in the border regionRenewable sources of energy in the border region • Hydropower • Biomass (potential in Tijuana and Cd.
A collection of papers commissioned by the Southwest Center for Environmental Research and Policy addresses the social, environmental, and economic problems of Indian tribes in the Mexican-American border region.
