The new window of renewable expansion opening in Mexico is no longer like the one from 2014-2018. If in that cycle the market moved under the logic of auctions and the accelerated entry of international developers, today the scenario is different: more selective calls, more demanding financial and technical criteria, storage as a structural variable and, above all, a local ecosystem that has gained strength.
That is the fundamental change that Patricia Tatto, CEO of Genux Power , put on the table in the new Strategic Energy streaming “ It had to be said and it was said” , where she outlined an interpretation that goes beyond the current opportunities of the Mexican market: there is a competitive realignment where local players start with an advantage.
“Those of us who survived these two six-year terms have a much more mature view of the market and understand the real risks,” Tatto said, summarizing an idea that is beginning to be repeated among developers and suppliers: the new renewable energy boom will not be built from scratch nor will it replicate imported recipes.
At a time when Mexico is once again attracting regional attention due to new calls for tenders, mixed investment schemes, and signs of expansion that point to approaching 16 GW during the six-year term, Tatto warns that foreign players can no longer operate with the logic of the past.
“If there are many foreigners who want to come to Mexico to do business, they should partner with Mexican companies that already have a track record,” he said.
For years, many EPC contractors and developers who invested in the Mexican market faced uncertainty, regulatory changes, and a prolonged slowdown in new opportunities. According to Tatto, this process led to a refinement that has now become a strength: “We Mexicans have been preparing ourselves.”
It is worth remembering that the sector indicates that more than 20 new local EPC companies have already emerged , a phenomenon that various actors identify as one of the structural changes that could redefine the Mexican solar market, particularly in this new cycle of calls for tenders and deployment associated with industrial demand and storage.
“Those who left will face the challenge of entering a country already dominated by local businesses and highly competitive Mexican companies,” she warned. And there, one of the executive's central arguments resurfaces: the new Mexican renewable energy boom is not solely due to new calls for proposals, but rather to a relocation of technical capabilities and accumulated experience that necessitates a rethinking of market entry strategies.
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Calls for entries, battery requirements and new requirements to compete
This dynamic is beginning to coexist with another phenomenon: energy storage is no longer an accessory but is becoming integrated into the business model. In line with the discussions surrounding CFE's new schemes, from 30% battery requirements to new regulatory signals for BESS, Tatto emphasized that batteries "are already gaining significant importance."
This is no small detail. The market it describes is no longer just solar or wind; it's a market where firm capacity, flexibility, and dispatch are becoming as important as the resource itself. This is especially true given that the sector is already considering a call for tenders exclusively for storage , a sign that would reinforce the structural role BESS is beginning to play in the system's expansion.
This paradigm shift also permeates the new Fast Track calls and the mixed schemes promoted by CFE, where it is no longer enough to develop projects; it is necessary to arrive with mature assets, robust financing and solid strategic partners.
In that sense , Genux is moving forward with that scheme with a 252 MW hybrid wind farm that was awarded in the call for priority projects in December , an experience from which Tatto observes firsthand how the criteria for competing have changed and also anticipates interest in participating in new calls.
“Now you have to bring your project well-structured. Before, it was 'I arrive, develop where there are resources, and then see who I can sell it to.' Today, strategies are tied to PPAs and industrial issues where demand is extremely high,” the executive pointed out.
He emphasized that guarantees of reliability, financial capacity, and speed of deployment are beginning to matter as much as the resource itself.
“There’s already a conversation underway in the market, there’s already integration with the administration, with the vision that we in the private sector bring, and with the associations,” he stated. Far from being a minor sign, this understanding, he added, begins to provide predictability at a time when Mexico is seeking to accelerate megawatt capacity, energy storage, and industrial investment.
“At least now we are understanding each other and we are understanding what is good for Mexico,” he concluded.
In this context of regulatory redefinition, the sector will have a key forum for discussion on May 19 at the Future Energy Summit (FES) Mexico , where the participation of 500 executives from the public and private sectors is expected. The event is shaping up to be a strategic meeting point to analyze the new calls for proposals, regulatory challenges, and investment opportunities emerging from this new framework for renewables and energy storage.