Bluemex is one of two projects that EDF Renewables Mexico secured through the second long-term auction held by Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) held in 2016
Image: EDF’s Bluemex solar project in Mexico. Photo: Courtesy of EDF Renewables.
EDF Renewables Mexico has inaugurated the 119.6MW Bluemex Power 1 solar project, located near Empalme, Sonora in Mexico.
Located on 340 hectares of land, the plant is powered by photovoltaic (PV) modules supplied by Canadian Solar.
Bluemex is one of two projects that EDF Renewables Mexico secured through the second long-term auction held by Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) held in 2016. Energy generated from the solar project will be sold to CFE. Gransolar provided the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services for the project.
The solar plant will annually generate about 277GWh of clean electricity per year and EDF Renewables Mexico claims to have invested about $110m (£87.4m). During the construction phase, the project created nearly 900 jobs. It has also created 18 permanent operations and maintenance jobs.
To ensure operational performance, equipment availability and reduce downtime at the facility, EDF will be responsible for asset management, operation and maintenance.
EDF Renewables Mexico country manager and vice president Gerardo Pérez Guerra said: “We offer our sincere thanks to the landowners, Municipal, State and Federal authorities for the long-standing support to bringing this project to operation.
“This project is contributing to Mexico’s international commitments concerning clean energy and is also playing a relevant role by supporting several social and environmental projects in the nearby community of San Fernando and municipality of Empalme.”
EDF Renewables entered the Mexican market in 2001 and presently it operates 1GW in wind and solar energy capacity. The expansion is another step towards achieving its objectives outlined in EDF Group’s Cap 2030 strategy to double its renewable energy capacity around the world to 50GW between 2015 and 2030.
With 16GW in gross wind, solar, and storage capacity being developed across the US, Canada and Mexico, EDF Renewables is one of the major renewable energy developers in North America.