Distributed Generation: A Learning Path

While it is true that distributed generation has rebounded in our country, we are still learning and determining the best practices for the end user.

Having access to better and more affordable technologies is not only the task of manufacturers but also the entire supply chain of a project. The combination of these variables ensures cleaner energy and for much longer, which makes each distributed generation project more profitable for the end user, provoking a positive reaction in the market and spurring a greater proportion of the population to join this movement.

For all of the above to be possible, we must pay attention to certain  factors that do not depend only on the brands and their technologies: there is also responsibility to provide the necessary technical and operational information for each product, so that the specialists involved in  designing and implementing a project have the best tools to execute it in the best possible way.

Another factor to consider is the professionalization of the sector. Although efforts have been made to achieve professionalization, we still have work to do and there is still a great deal to learn. It is important to work together within a system or legal framework that delimits, controls and sanctions bad practices in order to raise awareness of the appropriate use of technologies that are increasingly available to all.

Remember that in Mexico, as a result of  the current regulatory system, distributed generation has experienced continuous growth in recent years. This provides the necessary impetus to pay attention to what is executed in each project and to provide the highest standards regarding quality and service for each project. Due to the above, all those involved in the sector have a responsibility to execute our work impeccably and also to maintain consistency and transparency regarding  the necessary updates both in technology as well as good practices.

Distributed generation provides not only economic benefits for those users who have or plan to have a system, but it also helps to meet the carbon emissions reduction that we need  in order to achieve the goals established at COP27.

There are also an increasing number of here  better and more diversified options for the acquisition of distributed generation systems, from leases to credits or PPAs, the latter of which has been among the options seeing the greatest boom in the industrial sector  due to its fiscal and economic benefits promote and encourage the acquisition of distributed generation systems for companies. However, companies are limited to the 0.5MW of generation established by the regulatory authority. Although companies have adhered to the regulations, we must bear in mind that this limit is not definitive. At some point, we will migrate to the growth of on-site generation, which is where our operational case studies and lessons from the current market will help make projects more affordable and attractive for investment.

Let us emphasize that in Mexico we have a privileged location in terms of radiation. This puts us  in an excellent position to explore,  diversify, study and test current options and new technologies that have already been explored in countries not only in Europe but also in Latin America. We also must not lose sight of the issue of storage, which is  a topic that we can explore in different forums.

One of the benefits of distributed generation is that it is not interconnected to a transmission network, so what is produced is consumed or in some cases injected into the network depending on the use of each consumer.  This can also be measured, which gives us an advantage as consumers. It is a system from which we can obtain parameters related to energy generation behavior, how much we produce and how much we consume, which gives us better control of our energy operations and provides opportunities to study, become more efficient and improve our consumption habits for whatever the use.  

It is important to recognize that one of the most sensitive factors that we must highlight in our society is the ignorance that abounds regarding all these benefits. Today,  we are too oblivious and unempathetic to be aware and perceptive of climate change, which affects not only some regions, but that sooner or later will affect our environment,  and that of the next generations. Because of this, we know from our studies and observations that distributed generation in countries like ours can be of great help not only for our region but for the world, as we become aware of the efficient and better use of our resources. By obtaining energy from our astro king, the sun, we can help mitigate our carbon footprint.