Can Mexico Become the Electric Engine of the Americas?
Mexico's electricity demand is surging, driven by nearshoring. To seize this opportunity, the country needs a major infrastructure upgrade: a stronger power grid with renewables, streamlined customs, improved roads and ports, and 5G.
Mexico is buzzing with potential, like a particularly enthusiastic electric eel. Our national appetite for electricity is growing at a steady 3.5% a year, and with the global game of "nearshoring" heating up, we have a chance to become the energizer bunny of the Americas. But hold on to your rubber boots, because this opportunity comes with a few hurdles to jump.
Marcela Guerra Castillo, the head of the Chamber of Deputies, is calling for a serious investment in our national electricity grid. Think of it as the nervous system of our entire economic being. Right now, it's a bit like a cobweb after a particularly enthusiastic spider went on a fly catching spree. We need to upgrade those transmission lines and distribution networks, with a special focus on clean and renewable energy sources – think solar panels that shimmer like a million disco balls in the desert sun, or wind turbines that whoosh like happy giants.