ZacSol, a large-scale PV project, has been announced in Mexico, as part of an ‘innovation partnership’ deal between Mexico and the US state of Massachusetts.
US inverter manufacturer Solectria Renewables announced the deal, which was struck between Deval Patrick, governor of Massachusetts and Miguel Alejandro Alonso Reyes, governor of the Mexican state of Zacatecas, where the 30MW plant will be constructed.
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The deal was signed at Massachusetts-Mexico Innovation Partnership Mission, which took place in Mexico in late March. Signing the deal along with the two governors and Solectria were mounting solutions company Panel Claw and engineering company Vertex. All three companies are Massachusetts-based.
Mexican companies Constructora e Inmobiliaria Zacatecana and Grupos Domos will also act as partners on the project. Mexico’s state-owned electric utility, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) will purchase electricity generated by ZacSol.
Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Mark Sylvia said: “Today’s announcement is further proof that Massachusetts’ solar industry is booming and growing beyond our region. I’m excited that this project will help Mexico enjoy the economic and environmental benefits of solar investments.”
In a press release, Solectria said the US state and Mexico have a “strong, established relationship” that saw Mexico ranked as third ranked import partner and export partner to Massachusetts.
Governor Deval Patrick, a Democrat, has fostered a clean energy agenda since 2007 which has led to the installation of 496MW of PV generation in Massachusetts.
Prospects for solar in Mexico appear to have picked up in recent months. In mid-March, the general director of CFE announced plans to promote renewable energy generation in the country by forming strategic public-private partnerships. Research firm I.H.S recently quoted Mexico as one of the top three emerging world PV markets, along with South Africa and Turkey.