POWER March 2021 - 11

GLOBAL MONITOR
4. Wärtsilä has been contracted to provide an energy storage system for the 50-MW Eolica
Coromuel, S. de R. L (ECO) wind farm in La Paz, Mexico. The Wärtsilä energy storage system,
known as GridSolv Max, is designed to deliver a power output of 10 MW for the operational life
of the project. Courtesy: Wärtsilä
energy growth in Mexico, particularly as
the AMLO administration leveled charges
of corruption against developers of
renewable energy projects and threatened
legal action.
The most recent move, a bill introduced
in the nation's Congress in February,
aims to change the order in which
electricity is dispatched into the national
grid. It would send projects from private
investors to the back of the line, behind
power dispatched by CFE. Renewable
energy currently is dispatched first because
it is the country's cheapest electricity,
but the bill-expected to pass, as
the current government has a majority
in both houses-would prioritize CFE's
power. Carlos Ramirez, a consultant at
Integralia, told Mexico News Daily: " It's
open war. It's a sign the government is
becoming more radical. "
Analysts have said the bill threatens
as much as $41 billion in private-sector
investments in electricity generation in
Mexico, and could bring lawsuits, with
experts-including the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce-saying it could run afoul of
the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) freetrade
agreement. López Obrador, a vocal
supporter of fossil fuels, has said his
country's energy laws have left the CFE
" in ruins, " noting the utility lost $3 billion
in the first nine months of 2020.
Mexico has set a target of receiving
35% of its power from clean energy
sources by 2024, but is expected
to fall short of that goal, particularly if
regulations against foreign investments
become more onerous. Some renewable
energy projects continue to move
forward, though; the country's energy
ministry in January said Mexico's renewMarch
2021 | POWER
able energy power capacity increased
by 13.4% during the first 10 months of
2020, as more solar and wind plants
were installed and began testing.
New projects are being approved;
Wärtsilä in February announced it has
been contracted to provide what it calls
a " project-critical " energy storage system
for the 50-MW Eolica Coromuel, S.
de R. L (ECO) wind farm in La Paz, Mexico
(Figure 2). The Wärtsilä energy storage
system, known as GridSolv Max, is
designed to deliver a power output of
10 MW for the operational life of the
project. Wärtsilä also is providing a longterm
service agreement that includes
maintenance, remote monitoring, and
performance guarantees.
The ECO wind farm is owned by San
Diego, California-based Eurus Energy
America Corp., a subsidiary of Tokyo,
Japan-based global renewable energy
company Toyota Tsusho Corp., which
is the parent of Eurus Energy Group,
Japan's largest renewable energy developer.
The wind farm, along with the
Wärtsilä energy storage system, will be
connected to the local grid controlled
by the National Center for Energy Control
(CENACE), Mexico's independent
system operator.
" This project will help Mexico meet
its renewable energy goals, and efficient
energy storage is a key element
for its success, " said Nick Henriksen,
vice president of Eurus Energy America,
in comments provided to POWER.
John Robbins, business development
manager for Wärtsilä Energy, said,
" Enabling a transition towards a 100
percent renewable energy future is
central to Wärtsilä's strategy, so we are
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11

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POWER March 2021

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