Mexico is entering a decisive stage to transform its renewed photovoltaic pipeline into operational power plants by 2029. With almost 12.5 GW of solar power between awarded projects and capacity still pending allocation, construction will need to accelerate from the end of 2026 and throughout 2027 to meet the planned commercial dates.
Faced with this new wave of construction, Schletter seeks to position itself among the leading suppliers of fixed structures and solar trackers in the country .
“We want to become the second or third largest distributor in the market, as an initial stage, and capture 20 or 30% of what will be developed here in Mexico,” said Ángel Alegría , commercial manager of Schletter, during an exclusive interview conducted within the framework of Future Energy Summit (FES) Mexico 2026 .
Business ambition is supported by a market that has already consolidated a first stage of renewable energy allocations. Mexico has 67 solar and wind projects totaling 12,559 MW , of which 50 photovoltaic and concentrated solar power plants represent 7,859 MW. To this volume are added the 4,595 MW of solar capacity that the Ministry of Energy seeks to award through new calls for bids .
The timeline adds pressure to the entire value chain. A significant portion of the parks must reach their commercial operation date around 2029. Therefore, developers must finalize contracts, secure financing, complete permits, and move forward with construction to convert those megawatts into operational assets within the committed deadlines.
“Clearly, the market is on a wave of takeoff. We are still in that stage where projects are just projects, they haven't materialized yet, and we are all waiting for that big wave of growth,” Alegría points out.
To meet demand when that portfolio comes under construction, the company is preparing a supply chain supported by plants located in Germany, Turkey, and China . The strategy aims to combine production capacity, industrial scale, and the availability of structures during the peak demand period.
“We will have that supply chain ready for the moment when all these projects, which are now going through that approval phase, come out and materialize,” says the executive.
The company aims to enter that cycle before demand peaks. Its strategy involves supporting developers from the initial stages and preparing supply capacity for when the parks begin operating simultaneously.
Hybridization changes the economic equation
The new capacity will not consist solely of conventional solar power plants. The new Mexican tenders require the incorporation of 30% battery storage.
In addition, the Energy Secretariat launched a call for bids for BESS (Bulk Energy Storage System) for approximately 935 MW of BESS storage , with a duration of three hours. The incorporation of these assets increases the investment value and modifies both the design and financial evaluation of the parks.
“We are talking about hybrid projects, which are completely different. We are adding complexity, we are adding more civil works, and we are adding an asset that increases the total investment value of the project,” Alegría pointed out.
The combination of photovoltaics and batteries necessitates a re-evaluation of traditional contracting criteria. The initial price of the structures or trackers is no longer the sole factor , as technical decisions also impact installation, availability, maintenance, and cumulative performance.
“We can no longer focus solely on CAPEX. Profitability isn't in that initial purchase; profitability lies in the levelized cost of energy over the 20 or 30 years this plant will be operational,” the sales manager emphasized.
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The shift in focus moves the discussion from acquisition cost to the overall performance of the asset. In this analysis, developers will need to balance CAPEX, OPEX, expected generation, maintenance, and useful life , especially when the project incorporates batteries.
“I definitely think developers are now looking more at this metric that allows you to balance CAPEX and OPEX to really achieve profitability in batteries,” the executive added.
This trend aligns with a growing discussion in the photovoltaic and storage industry: a lower initial investment does not necessarily guarantee the lowest total operating cost . The quality of the components and ease of assembly can prevent interventions, delays, and additional expenses throughout the system's lifespan.
Schletter seeks to compete within this framework through a combination of industrial scale, quality, and price. The company argues that its manufacturing presence in three markets allows it to diversify production and adapt the logistics chain to the needs of each project.
“Schletter is a supplier that puts quality above all else, and obviously that's very interesting for your OPEX,” the executive points out.
The challenge also extends to installation timelines. When several parks must be built in parallel to meet their commercial operation target by 2029, the speed of assembly of the structures will have a direct impact on the overall schedule.
The company believes that the technological maturity of the structural segment should be used to reduce some of the risk introduced by BESS systems. This involves simplifying installation processes and minimizing on-site contingencies.
“Sites, being a much more mature technology, have to help reduce the risk and difficulty involved in introducing these new batteries into projects,” Alegría stated.
In addition to this function, there is the need to meet contractual milestones. A delay in delivery or assembly can spill over into other stages, affect testing, and jeopardize the planned commercial operation date.
The executive adds that the goal is to provide "structures that are increasingly easier to install in order to meet deadlines."
The goal for 2027: projects and business partners
The ambition to capture between 20% and 30% of the market will depend, first and foremost, on the announced portfolio successfully navigating the administrative and financial phases. For Schletter, the main indicator of progress will be when the projects begin to materialize in scale.
“First, in the part we need to really enter the market, for projects to start materializing in quantity,” Alegría states.
The executive identifies the current approval phase as a bottleneck that must be resolved to enable the construction cycle. The expectation is that the situation will be different during 2027, when some of the power plants should be under construction, aiming to meet their operational start dates around 2029.
“We are always looking for business partners; we don’t want a client for just one project, we really want to build partnerships in the region with whom we can grow together,” the company representative concluded.