Mexico Makes Plans to Build A Renewable Energy Storage Facility

While renewable energy is openly embraced by many in the world there are plenty who are willing to heap criticisms upon the many facets of the energy type. One of the most common forms of criticism for types of renewable energy like solar, wind, or tidal and wave based energies is that the power source is unpredictable and never constant, meaning that any area utilizing renewable energy sources might suffer periods in which no electricity was being provided and a back up would be required. To combat this issue, however, many companies work on developing methods of storing renewable energy in order to ensure that no matter how much or how little electricity is being produced by a renewable energy source there is always a steady stream of power. Mexico is one of the countries to most recently express interests in adopting such technologies.

In Northern Mexico, the Mexican government is planning to adopt a renewable energy storage device in order to optimize the renewable energy they currently gather while also expanding their renewable energy potential. Working with Rubenius, a United Arab Emirates based energy company specializing in energy supply and the stabilization of energy grids, Mexico plans to invest four billion dollars into the construction of a one thousand megawatt renewable energy storage facilities. The facilities could also work towards allowing Mexico to trade energy with California since the facilities would be built close to the United States and Mexican border in Mexicali, Bali California. The facilities are expected to be completed within the next six years and will use a certain kind of sodium sulfide batteries that specialize in high capacity collection and discharge of power.

Once completed, it is unknown just how much the facilities will immediately be used. The area in Baja California where the project is to be completed is within range of areas with high renewable energy potential. Wind energy and solar energy are the highest potential contributors to the list of contributors thanks to the fact that there is plenty of room for wind farms and the fact that Mexico has one of the largest potentials for solar power use in the world. The facility is also expected to contribute to gaining support for a program that members of the Mexican government would like to see happen that involves powering cities removed from the main power grids with renewable energy resources.

As Mexico continues to grow into their renewable energy potential it is nice to see them developing projects like this that would aid in the spread of the technology within the country. Hopefully in time, Mexico will be able to see their renewable energy plans come to fruition and can stand as an example for surrounding nations about the usefulness of renewable energy.

Article by Richard Cooke, appearing courtesy Justmeans.