After years of hesitancy and regulatory uncertainty, Mexico’s wind energy sector appears poised for a resurgence following the federal government’s announcement of 20 approved power generation projects that include significant renewable capacity. The development signals a potential turning point for wind developers and investors who have faced challenges in recent years, and comes amid broader efforts to meet national clean energy targets and provide reliable electricity for a growing economy.

SENER confirmed that it granted 20 permits for new generation facilities to domestic and international companies following a competitive call process. While many of the awarded permits went to solar projects, a portion includes wind capacity that is expected to help bolster Mexico’s renewable generation mix.

Among the approved projects, wind developers such as Eólica Dzilam, EPM Eólica 24, Vientos de Panabá and Eólica del Rocío received authorizations to build wind farms with a combined capacity that adds hundreds of megawatts to the pipeline. These new ventures will contribute to an overall 3,320MW of new capacity and an estimated US$4.75 billion in investment.

The inclusion of wind in the latest permitting round is notable because the sector had experienced a period of stagnation while Mexico’s electricity policy underwent significant changes. Over the past years, regulatory shifts aimed at prioritizing state participation in energy markets had created uncertainty for private renewable developers, leading many companies to delay or cancel planned investments. Renewable advocates warned that inconsistent policy direction could undermine investor confidence and jeopardize Mexico’s ability to meet clean generation goals.

With the new approvals, wind energy stakeholders see an opening for growth. As some developers prepare to negotiate grid interconnection agreements and secure financing, the sector is gearing up for construction activity that could begin before the end of 2026, provided that companies meet the key contractual and financing requirements due by January 31, 2026. That deadline obligates permit holders to present letters of credit and signed interconnection contracts with the National Energy Control Center (CENACE), which will be decisive in advancing the projects to the construction phase.

Renewed Focus on Wind Amid Clean Energy Goals

Mexico’s renewed emphasis on wind and other renewables comes as the country attempts to square ambitious clean energy targets with practical reality on the ground. Under the recently approved Energy Sector Program 2025–2030, energy planning is now a binding state priority intended to guide policy across the sector, including renewables, midstream gas infrastructure, and electricity generation. The program, aligned with the National Development Plan, places energy self-sufficiency, sovereignty and security at the center of policy while promoting equitable access and expanded clean generation.

The Energy Sector Program identifies the need to expand generation capacity significantly between 2025 and 2039, with a planned addition of 28,004MW in the near term, including more than 10,900MW of privately developed capacity by 2030. Although the recent call covered a fraction of that target, it represents an important first step in reviving private investment in renewable energy projects, particularly wind and solar.

However, meeting Mexico’s 38% clean generation target by 2030 remains a complex undertaking, analysts note. Wind and solar technologies have historically achieved rapid deployment when policy and economic conditions support them, but the share of clean generation in total electricity output has lagged recent capacity expansions. Factors such as variable wind resource availability, grid constraints, and the relative dominance of conventional fossil generation have limited the contribution of renewables to actual electricity generation.

In practice, clean technologies accounted for approximately 36.9% of installed capacity by the end of 2024, but their effective contribution to generation remained lower, with non-renewable sources continuing to supply a majority of electricity. This divergence underscores the importance of transmission and distribution modernization, storage integration, and dispatch reform if wind and other variable renewables are to play a larger operational role in meeting demand.

Private Sector Role

Business and industry leaders have welcomed the latest permit round as a positive signal after years of uncertainty. Business associations have been advocating for progress on stalled energy projects, including power generation, transmission upgrades, and regulatory reform. Industry groups have emphasized that moving forward with renewable projects will not only support environmental objectives but also help ensure competitive energy costs and reliability for manufacturing and industrial users.

Renewable developers have also underscored the importance of robust, predictable permitting frameworks and timely grid interconnection processes. Delays or changes in policy can increase financing risk and raise capital costs. Observers note that clear, consistent regulatory signals are essential to attract long-term investment at the scale required to transform Mexico’s energy mix.

For wind developers in particular, the new permits offer a chance to deploy projects in regions with strong wind resources where capacity factors are high and the potential for cost-competitive generation remains significant. As Mexico repositions itself to encourage a broader range of energy investments, the success of these wind projects will be closely watched as an indicator of the sector’s resurgence.