SUPPORTING POLICIES FOR OCEAN ENERGY
NATIONAL STRATEGY
The mechanisms for the development of policies, programmes, projects and actions for the use of renewable energies, including ocean energy, are part of the National Strategy for Energetic Transition and Sustainable Energy Usage (ENTEASE), developed in 2011, and are open to annual revision. Heading the National Strategy is the Secretary of Energy (SENER), along with all public sector institutions and the Federal Public Administration aligned with the Energy Transition Law and sustainable energy programmes.
The ENTEASE has three guiding principles: i) guarantee energy supply, ii) efficiency in the economic and productive means of harnessing sustainable energy, and iii) environmental sustainability. The objectives around these principles are intended to ensure efficient, safe and sustainable growth, the evolution of current energy systems to meet energy needs and the economic and social development of Mexico.
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
The current regulatory framework is based on the Law for the Usage of Renewable Energies and the Financing of the Energetic Transition (LAERFTE). The Regulatory Commission of Energy (CRE) has introduced a specific regulatory framework for renewable energies and published conventions and contracts to regulate the energy generation according to their capacity range, i.e. small (0-10, 0-30 kW), medium (0-500 kW) and large-scale (>500 kW). Regulations concerning connection to the National Electric System have been developed since 2011, controlling the access of renewable energy projects to existent infrastructure.
For ocean energy systems there are currently no specific regulations in Mexico. However, its contribution to the energy sector is regulated by laws related to the usage of these natural resources and those for energy usage, such as the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, LAERFTE, Law of National Waters, Law for Sustainable Usage of Energy, Organic Law of the Federal Public Administration, and Law of the Regulatory Commission of Energy. In addition, regulations based on international trade and agreements, such as the UN Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, are adhered to.
MARKET INCENTIVES
Incentives have been introduced by the Mexican Government for the installation of infrastructure and use of renewable energy, including ocean energy in all its forms. Tax reductions (up to 100%) on taxes due on the acquisition of machinery and equipment for the generation/conversion of energy from renewable energy sources. This incentive was established by the Federal Government and is supported in the Law of Income Tax (ISR).
A system of Carbon Credits has been agreed upon by the Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE) and the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV), an exchange mechanism of carbon offsets. Greenhouse gas emissions will be regulated for each type of industry, so that companies that are able to generate clean energy can sell their carbon credits to capitalize their inversion.
Compensation for the services of renewable energies for which the CRE establishes the amount of the compensation that the CFE will pay for the services given. This allows the entrepreneur to estimate the price that will be paid for each kilowatt produced. Furthermore, the methodology for the price estimation benefits projects with renewable energies.
While these incentives are important for the development and encouragement of the use of renewable energies, further incentives are to be explored to accelerate the growth of this sector.
PUBLIC FUNDING PROGRAMMES
Resources from the public sector are channelled through funding programmes, including: