Energy storage is becoming the differentiating factor for large renewable energy projects in Mexico, and Huawei Digital Power is looking to position itself as one of its main players.
The company already supplies storage solutions for Puerto Peñasco, the megaproject of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) in Sonora, which today constitutes its main success story in the country and the basis of its objective to capture at least 30% of the Mexican storage market by 2030.
"We are cooperating with them on the energy storage aspect. And we are in the process of offering our inverter chain," stated Martín Portillo , Director of Strategy at Huawei Digital Power , during a featured interview at the Future Energy Summit (FES) Mexico.
"One of the important features we are contributing to is the deployment of new technology such as grid-forming," he added.
Watch the full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWufQK9A2zA
The company is promoting the adoption of string inverters , an architecture that, it says, improves both the technical performance and the economic profitability of the plants: "We offer many advantages not only in technology, which is the current trend in the world of inverters, but also economic improvements that result in a profitable system."
The Rafael Galván Maldonado Photovoltaic Power Plant , or better known as Puerto Peñasco, is considered one of the flagship projects of the energy transition promoted by the CFE .
Currently, the first two stages are already operating with 400 MW of photovoltaic capacity and 72 MW of storage , becoming one of the first experiences of large-scale massive battery integration in Mexico.
Growth will continue over the next few years. According to Emilia Calleja, director of CFE, the third stage will begin commercial operation in December 2027 , incorporating 300 MW of solar power and 90 MW of BESS systems , backed by an estimated investment of $294 million .
Subsequently, the fourth phase will add another 280 MW of photovoltaic capacity and 84 MW of battery storage , with construction scheduled to begin in March 2028 and an investment of approximately $344 million . Once completed, the solar complex will reach a total capacity of 1000 MW and will solidify its position as one of the largest solar parks in Latin America.
From economic return to reliability: what developers are looking for today
The growth in energy storage also reflects a shift in priorities among those driving new renewable energy projects. As the executive explained, the needs are not the same for a private developer as for a state-owned enterprise , although both sectors share the need to incorporate increasingly robust technologies.
"In the private sector, the most important thing is naturally the return on investment. We try to propose different business models that align with the expectations of the end customer," stated the Huawei representative.
The logic changes when it comes to projects driven by the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) or other public bodies: "In the case of state projects, a fundamental characteristic is the duration, reliability and cutting-edge technology schemes that can really support the benefits they are offering."
Mixed projects change the rules of the game
This paradigm shift also explains Huawei's optimism regarding the growth of storage, to the point that the market has already begun to demand batteries not only in large state developments, but also in a new generation of hybrid projects.
The statements come at a time of complete reorganization of the Mexican electricity sector. Following the awarding of 7,400 MW distributed across 37 joint venture projects developed with the CFE (Federal Electricity Commission), the Ministry of Energy (SENER) is preparing a new bidding round that includes more than 6 GW of additional capacity , encompassing priority projects, new joint venture schemes, and specific tenders for energy storage, solidifying batteries as one of the market's most promising segments.
In this context, Huawei understands that the opportunity extends beyond the projects currently under construction. According to the executive, the major investment decisions being made today will only show their impact several years from now .
"Major projects, over 200 MW, are long processes. The projects we are seeing today will most likely be completed in 2027; we will begin with a deployment so that many of them will finally become operational in 2028 or probably even 2029," Portillo explained.
That is precisely the horizon that Huawei uses to project its growth in Mexico.
"The idea is for us to have a significant market share. We would like it to be above 30%," said Huawei's Strategy Director, setting the company's target for 2029-2030.
The business strategy finds support in the technological roadmap presented during Future Energy Summit Mexico , where Huawei launched FusionSolar 9.0 , a new generation of solutions for photovoltaic plants and storage that incorporates improvements in operational intelligence, security for battery systems and integration capabilities with electrical grids.