Over the past 12 months, from July 2024 to June 2025, Mexico's electricity production was heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with more than half of the generation coming from gas at about 60%. In total, roughly 75% of Mexico's electricity was generated from fossil sources including gas, coal, and oil. Low-carbon sources, which produce sustainable electricity and include hydropower, solar, wind, and nuclear, contributed close to a quarter of the total electricity. Specifically, hydropower provided around 7%, solar contributed almost 7%, wind generated about 6%, and nuclear supplied a modest 3%. Mexico's electricity mix shows a stark contrast in the reliance on fossil energy over low-carbon sources, which are critical for reducing carbon emissions and combatting climate change.
Data sources used on this page include IEA and World Bank. More about data sources →
Is Electricity Growing in Mexico?
Electricity consumption in Mexico shows a slight decline. Latest figures from 2025 indicate that per-person electricity consumption is at 2792 kWh, marking a small dip from the 2024 number of 2809 kWh, which was a historic record. However, what's concerning is the decline in low-carbon electricity on a per-person basis. From a previous peak of 732 kWh per person in 2021, the recent numbers show a drop to 665 kWh per person. This reduction of almost 70 kWh per person is particularly worrying as it underscores a decline in clean electricity generation, going against the global trend of increasing low-carbon energy capacity.
Suggestions
To boost low-carbon electricity generation, Mexico can draw inspiration from various successful regions around the world. For solar energy, Mexico could look at states such as Nevada and regions like Lebanon, where solar contributes above 30% to the electricity mix. With its robust wind-energy potential, gearing efforts towards wind energy, taking cues from wind power leaders such as Iowa and Denmark, could be transformative; Iowa generates 60% of its electricity from wind, whereas Denmark closely follows at 59%. Nuclear energy should also be at the forefront of Mexico's efforts, as seen in countries like France and states like New Hampshire, where nuclear plays a significant role. Expanding both solar and nuclear capacity would be beneficial for reducing dependency on fossil fuels and mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change.
History
In reviewing the historical progress of low-carbon electricity generation in Mexico, there have been fluctuations particularly in hydropower. Starting in 1981, hydropower saw significant variations with incremental increases in some years and notable decreases in others, such as 1986 and 1994 where it experienced setbacks. The early 2000s saw minor declines, but significant upturns happened with hydropower spikes in 2008 and a revival in 2010 and 2014. However, hydrogenation fell again in 2019 and 2023, which could have impacted overall growth in low-carbon electricity. The developments in 2019 showed additions in both solar and wind, each increasing by nearly 5 TWh. These trends highlight the need for consistent investment in and expansion of stable low-carbon sources like solar and nuclear to secure Mexico's future electricity needs.
