Q: How has the photovoltaic industry in Mexico evolved and what key factors are driving its growth and development?

A: The adoption of this technology boomed 10 years ago, but there has been a slowdown in demand in the past five years due to several reasons, including the pandemic and government policies that created uncertainty.

Distributed generation has not been directly affected by these policies, but many potential investors are concerned about whether distributed generation could eventually be affected.

Q: What are AMIF’s recent milestones in the photovoltaic industry in Mexico? 

A: AMIF is an association of companies and entrepreneurs that seek to advance common objectives, from the promotion of technology to the professionalization of the industry. In Mexico, many companies are considered improvised installers, especially in distributed generation. The association promotes the creation of quality and safety standards in the industry to help the market grow and increase the adoption of technology.

In recent years, we have been representing the interests of the industry before authorities. In 2019, we participated in open parliament sessions when the constitutional reform and electrical reform were proposed. In the last two years, we have grown significantly in membership and have formed alliances with various event organizers.

Q: What is your outlook for the photovoltaic industry in Mexico, and what factors do you believe will drive its continued growth and expansion in the coming years?

A: We have a great deal of work ahead in terms of building, together with the authorities, better and updated regulations. This includes making certifications for both equipment and personnel mandatory and improving skill certifications. Certain regulations have not been addressed, such as those pertaining to storage, collective generation, and structures. Some initiatives have been made to regulate structures for distributed generation, as the correct installation of the panels and structures is necessary to reduce the risks of accidents and fires. Weather events can also cause panels to come off, a risk that can be avoided through adequate regulation.

Traceability is also important, as it is key to record who did the installation and who is responsible for what was installed. The current interconnection process does not register the installer and makes the user responsible for the installed system. This is problematic because the user often knows nothing about the installation. If it stops working in a couple of years, the company that did the installation may no longer exist. Interconnection procedures must be well documented and the information kept for future use.

New technologies are also entering the market and storage will continue to advance, solving a series of problems for both the user and the network.

Q: What is the major challenge for the public sector in developing regulations? 

A: The authorities need to standardize interconnection procedures and train their staff, especially in distributed generation. Storage barely appears in the proposal for new general administrative provisions, which have not yet been approved or published. Therefore, there is no certainty on how these regulations will turn out. These provisions will also need to undergo a public consultation again because the regulatory deadlines have passed.

Collective generation, especially in community contexts, is also barely mentioned in this proposal. The proposed regulations mention that collective generation is possible, but only with the same rate and at the same interconnection point, which is very limited. The sector needs collective generation regulations that adapt to other possibilities. Racking is also crucial and must be normalized to prevent the construction of improvised structures.

Q: How would you characterize the market dynamics of Mexico’s photovoltaic industry, including factors such as demand, supply, pricing, and competition? 

A: The adoption of photovoltaic technology will continue to increase. Maybe not at exponential levels, but faster than in the past four or five years. The National Electrical System Development Program (PRODESEN) calculates that electrical demand will increase with the growth of electric mobility, although we estimate that demand will be higher than PRODESEN estimates. The increase in consumption will drive the installation of photovoltaic systems.

Q: What are AMIF’s objectives for the near term? 

A: The association’s objectives include adding more members and we expect to add many more in 2024 than we did in the past two years. We are more present in the industry and have more weight. We also want to advance in the creation of regulations and we are engaging with regulatory entities. Another objective is to offer more and better training, which is greatly needed in the industry.

We are working on generating an internal certification from reliable companies. We want to have a broader offering of certified companies, since certifications focus on the competency standards of installers as people. Our goal is to confirm the reliability of companies.

We also want to grow in other states. AMIF’s headquarters are in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and we have an office in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. We want to open offices in Mexico City, the Bajio region, and in the southeast region.

Mexican Association of the Photovoltaic Industry (AMIF) is an association of companies and entrepreneurs that seek to advance the photovoltaic industry. It promotes the creation of quality and safety standards, which help grow the market and the adoption of technology.

Fuente: Mexico Business News