Spain-based Gamesa and Mexico's Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE), or the Mexican Electricity Board, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the co-development of wind energy projects in Mexico.
The MOU was signed by Hipolito Suarez, Gamesa's managing director for Mexico and Latam, and Benjam’n Granados, director of project finance at the CFE. The signing ceremony was attended by Gamesa's Business CEO, Xabier Etxeberria, and the managing director of the CFE, Dr. Enrique Ochoa.
The two companies have pledged to search for ways to encourage technological, industrial and supply-chain development in the sector in Mexico and to champion research, development and innovation in the renewable energy field.
The MOU also contemplates the possibility of the CFE's studying opportunities for participating in wind projects in which Gamesa has a stake in other Latin American markets and the U.S. In addition, the MOU will promote the extension of best practices in wind farm operations, maintenance and control.
Against the backdrop of this agreement and with the aim of contributing to the sector's technological and industrial development in Mexico, Gamesa will build a wind tower factory through Windar Renovables, a joint venture with the Daniel Alonso Group.
The factory will be located in Puerto Altamira in the state of Tamaulipas, a high-potential wind region. Stretching 75,000 square miles, the center will have enough capacity to manufacture 500 MW per year for the Mexican, U.S. and Central American markets. The construction work is scheduled to begin in December, and the factory should be up and running by the end of 2016, says Gamesa.
In parallel, Gamesa is also planning to step up the renewable energy training and research activities it already carries out in Mexico through the existing Gamesa University, located in Juchitan.
