Mexico is among the world's top oil producers, 89.4% of the energy produced comes from oil. However, production is expected to fall in the coming years, forcing Mexican authorities to look for alternative, clean and renewable energy sources. Mexico's recently elected President Felipe Calderon will invest 3000 million dollars in a series of wind farms located in the State Oaxaca that will be able to produce 2600 megawatts of wind power. 

 

Last month the federal government inaugurated La Venta II, the biggest wind farm in Latin America. Located in the valley of La Ventosa (Oaxaca), the wind farm has 98 wind turbines that generate enough electricity to power 70,000 homes. It has the capacity to generate 83 megawatts of electricity - enough to generate 13% of the total energy used in the state.

 

La Ventosa, which represents a mere 2% of the Oaxaca territory, is capable of producing the same amount of energy generated through wind in all Spain, the second largest wind producer in the world. In fact, the valley is the second most important region in the world in terms of its potential to generate wind energy.

 

Before the opening of La Venta II, there were only two wind farms operating in Mexico, La Venta I and Guerrero Negro. Construction is underway for La Venta III, Oaxaca I, II, III, and IV. The federal government's objective is to reach a production capacity of 2600 megawatts before the end of President's Calderon's term. A capacity that it is still far below leading regions like Germany (20,622 megawatts) and Spain (11,615 megawatts) but constitutes an important step towards sustainable energy development in Mexico.