Wind energy in Mexico is at a turning point. As the country consolidates 8,131 MW of installed capacity , distributed across 16 states and supported by more than 3,300 wind turbines, the market is beginning to look ahead to the next wave of investment. With 2,159 MW of wind power pending allocation and a government goal of adding an additional 6,800 MW during this six-year term, manufacturers, developers, and investors are already competing to secure the projects that will define the new wind energy landscape in the country.
The current picture reflects a consolidated leadership of Oaxaca, which concentrates 2,758 MW installed, followed by Tamaulipas (1,715 MW), Nuevo León (961 MW), Coahuila (694 MW) and Baja California (622 MW), according to data from the Mexican Wind Energy Association (AMDEE).
However, the next stage of growth will no longer depend solely on the available wind resource, but also on the ability of developers to adapt to mixed schemes, incorporate storage systems and respond to the Government's new planning criteria.
The change in the landscape is a response to the new energy strategy presented by the federal administration, which plans to add 32 GW of electrical capacity during the current six-year term. Of that volume, 22 GW will come from renewable technologies , with approximately 12.3 GW of solar and 6.8 GW of wind power , once again placing wind energy among the leading technologies for expanding the country's electricity supply.
Meanwhile, the Energy Secretariat maintains a portfolio of 6,754 MW of renewable energy projects pending allocation, comprised of 4,595 MW of photovoltaic and concentrated solar power (CSP) and 2,159 MW of wind power . To date, only around 700 MW of wind power have been awarded, compared to an initial target of 2,850 MW . Therefore, most of the market remains open, and the technical evaluation of projects under mixed-use schemes, scheduled for October, will be crucial in determining which companies will lead the next expansion.
The protagonists of the next wind energy wave
The new expansion cycle is not only reshaping the geographical map of wind energy, but also the business landscape. Technology manufacturers, developers, construction companies, and engineering firms are seeking to position themselves in a market that is once again showing signs of growth after several years of regulatory uncertainty.
Among manufacturers, Vestas maintains a leading position. The company, present in Mexico for three decades, has 2.7 GW of wind turbines in operation and believes that the country has one of the best wind resources in Latin America, although with very different technical challenges depending on the region.
"As a manufacturer, we always prefer... to have a market with a 10-year horizon producing 1.5 GW or 2 GW per year, rather than having a 10 GW market in two years and then returning to zero. This does not incentivize technology transfer," stated Mehdi Hadbi , Country Head of Vestas Mexico, during the Future Energy Summit (FES) Mexico.
For its part, Nordex has been in the Mexican market for 15 years, has 1878 MW in operation and 72 MW under construction.
The new phase of wind energy expansion is beginning to define a group of developers who managed to secure positions in the first calls for proposals launched by the Mexican government. Genux Power, Revolve Renewable Power, Idea Energía, Elecnor, and Eólica Dzilam are among the companies that have moved forward with projects under the new investment schemes, where the combination of wind power generation and storage has become a key differentiator.
Among them, Genux Power was one of the key players, winning the Panama project, located in Mérida, Yucatán. The initiative includes 252 MW of wind power along with a 102.1 MW energy storage system operating for four hours, making it one of the most significant hybrid developments in the first round of priority projects.
Patricia Tatto, CEO of Genux Power, stated during FES Mexico: "It has been a very competitive process with a lot of pressure, this fast track strategy is interesting, but for projects that are already a little more advanced."
Another developer that has made progress is Revolve Renewable Power , with the El24 Wind project in Tamaulipas, comprising 130.5 MW of wind power and 54.2 MW of storage. The company is also developing the 99 MW Cenotillo wind farm and recently signed the final interconnection agreement with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), a key milestone in its development.
Eólica Dzilam is developing a 120 MW wind farm with 48.6 MW of storage capacity. Meanwhile, Idea Energía , in partnership with Eólica del Rocío , will develop the Vientos del Caribe hybrid project in Quintana Roo, featuring 208 MW of wind power and 81.7 MW of battery storage.
The new scenario also left some big names out of the initial awards. Invenergy , one of the world's largest wind power developers with extensive experience in Mexico, participated in the bidding process under the mixed scheme but failed to secure any projects . Among the proposals submitted was the Euronotus wind farm, with a price of $110.3/MWh and an estimated internal rate of return (IRR) of 14% .
Despite this, the company remains committed to the Mexican market. During Future Energy Summit Mexico, Ignacio Castro stated that Invenergy submitted proposals for hundreds of megawatts in the tenders and emphasized that the hybrid model represents an attractive alternative for selling energy with the CFE (Federal Electricity Commission), suggesting they could participate in the second hybrid bidding round.
Terralia is also among the companies that have successfully positioned themselves in this new phase of the wind energy market . The developer was awarded 705 MW of wind power and 950 MWh of storage capacity under the mixed-use scheme promoted by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), solidifying its place among the top winners of the bidding process.
In addition to the projects already awarded, other developers and construction companies are also seeking to gain prominence in this new phase of the market. Vive Energía confirmed that it maintains a strong specialization in wind power generation, with parks on the Yucatán Peninsula, and that it is currently participating in tenders.
"We have wind farms on the Yucatan Peninsula" and "we are much more focused on the wind side so far," said José Antonio Aguilar , who emphasized that the company continues to bet on the growth of the sector.
From the construction side, Elecnor also anticipates a new cycle of activity for wind power technology. The company has just completed a 319 MW wind farm in Tecate and believes that the next leap in the market will be marked by the hybridization of technologies. " I think what we're going to start doing is large-scale wind and solar with batteries ," said Fernando Hill , reflecting a trend that is already beginning to emerge in many of the new tenders.
Although they are not among the successful bidders, AES Mexico and Cox are also among the companies closely monitoring the new energy plan. While AES maintains a strategy focused on developing renewable energy and storage solutions to support the electricity system's transition, Cox took a decisive step by acquiring Iberdrola Mexico 's business, reinforcing its position as one of the leading private players in the Mexican energy market.
The sector's reactivation is also beginning to be reflected in engineering and consulting firms. Barlovento Applus+ , along with Enertis Applus+ , confirms that it is already supporting developers from the earliest stages of projects, including wind resource measurement campaigns, production studies, bankability assessments, and conceptual design. César Triana revealed that one of their clients submitted several wind energy projects in the call for proposals for the mixed scheme, although he explained that the work began years earlier.
" We started with it from the beginning, I'm talking about 2019 or 2020 approximately, with the installation of measurement towers, wind resource measurement, production and bankability studies ," he said during Future Energy Summit Mexico.
Beyond the projects already awarded, the sector believes the recovery is just beginning. According to estimates from the Mexican Wind Energy Association (AMDEE) , the development of this new portfolio could mobilize between $4 billion and $5 billion in investments for the construction of 13 to 14 new wind farms , one of the sector's biggest bets in recent years.
This potential stems from both calls for proposals for priority projects from the private sector and the mixed scheme promoted by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) , mechanisms that have reopened the door for new renewable energy investments under a planning model coordinated with the government. According to the industry, these calls for proposals already allow for the projection of approximately 4 GW of new wind power capacity by the end of the decade, although the final volume will depend on the progress of the awarding process, financing, and implementation of each initiative.
Mexico's new wind energy map is still under construction. In addition to projects already awarded, the government continues to accept bids for private projects and for the mixed scheme , the latter designed to develop power plants in coordination with the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and under the new binding planning criteria for the electrical system.
Following the extension of the deadlines set by the authorities, the process continues with the technical review of the initiatives by the National Energy Control Center (Cenace) and the processing of permits before the National Energy Commission (CNE) . The final evaluation of the projects will take place during October , when the proposals that will receive authorization to move forward under both schemes will also be announced.
