CLEAN AND RENEWABLE ENERGY - POSSIBLE INITIATIVES WITH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MEXICO 000671 SENSITIVE, SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/MEX, WHA/EPSC, EB/IFD/OMA, AND DRL/AWH STATE FOR EEB/ESC USDOC FOR 4320/ITA/MAC/WH/ONAFTA USDOC FOR ITS/TD/ENERGY DIVISION TREASURY FOR IA DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS STATE PASS TO USTR STATE PASS TO FEDERAL RESERVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN ENRG EINV PGOV SENV MX SUBJECT: CLEAN AND RENEWABLE ENERGY - POSSIBLE INITIATIVES WITH MEXICO ¶A. Mexico 299 ¶B. Mexico 156 ¶C. Mexico 42 ¶D. 08 Monterrey 397 ¶1. Summary and Introduction: The GOM is interested in working more closely with the USG on renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate change. Post believes the Mexican position offers a significant opportunity to develop closer ties in a priority area for both countries and is exploring several options with Mexican officials, NGOs, academia and the private sector on how we can better coordinate our efforts on these topics. We have found both government and private sector interlocutors eager to engage. Embassy Mexico offers the following ideas for bilateral cooperation on clean and renewable energy for Washington agencies' consideration: Knowledge Sharing: -------------- ¶2. PROMOTE ACADEMIC EXCHANGES: There is a strong interest among Mexican Universities, Think Tanks and NGOs to expand and strengthen ties on renewable and development and policy dialogue. If funding is available, an initiative under the rubric of the USAID TIES Program which creates university partnerships and promotes scholarships, could focus exclusively on clean and renewable energy. Potential Mexican partners in this area could include the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico; Universidad Iberoamericana; Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (which has successfully worked on hydrocarbons through an existing TIES grant) and Monterrey Tech. ¶3. BUILD INSTITUTIONAL TIES: The Mexican Government has requested our assistance to build collaboration between US and Mexican government research institutions (DOE laboratories including Thomas Edison Center and Argonne Laboratories; the Mexican Institute for Electric Energy Research and other institutes.) Under the October 2008 energy reform legislation, $9 billion pesos ($600 million)over three years will be allocated to renewable energy research and development. As Mexico implements the reforms, the GOM would be interested to learn how the USG organizes R&D grants. Several leading Mexican NGOs, including the Mario Molina Center also have 
expressed interest in closer collaboration. (Note: Dr. Mario Molina is one of the most prominent Mexican voices on climate change and renewable energy. He is a Nobel Physics Prize Winner, and a dual national who spends half his time at UC San Diego. He has advised both Presidents Obama and Calderon on climate change policy and is a close and longstanding friend of Energy Secretary Chu. End Note) The Mario Molina Center is a partner in developing the Mexican Climate Change Strategy and has expressed interest in partnering more closely with the USG. It would be valuable to bring Mario Molina specifically and his Center more generally into a bilateral initiative on Climate Change and Clean and Efficient Energy. Other smaller Mexican NGOs could also be brought into this initiative. ENERGY EFFICIENCY: -------------- ¶4. BUILDING RETROFIT - The Ibero American University is being retrofitted for energy efficiency through a self funded program where technology installed modernizes facilities and is paid for by guaranteed energy and operational savings. This particular program is being implemented with Honeywell technology under the Clinton Climate Initiative (four international companies have this type of technology including Siemens, Honeywell, GE and X.) There is significant potential to expand these types of programs to schools, hospitals and other public buildings. One obstacle is that under Mexican law Government Agencies cannot incur debt. US and Mexican officials could exchange information about improving energy efficiency in public buildings. ¶5. ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCE EXCHANGE - Mexico has implemented a program to exchange light bulbs, air conditioners and refrigerators MEXICO 00000671 002 OF 003 for more energy efficient models. This program is focused on lower income communities who hold on to less efficient appliances. There may be opportunities between the US and Mexico to collaborate on these appliance exchange programs which generate significant energy savings. Renewable Energy -------------- ¶6. FINANCING - Spanish, German and French technology dominate the renewable energy sector in Mexico. However, the current economic crisis combined with the falling price of oil have made financing renewable energy projects more difficult. We could create a forum to inform Mexican investors about US technologies and financing opportunities - or use an existing event which provides opportunities for US exporters. We would recommend a public/private partnership event involving US institutions (OPIC, EXIM, TDA, etc) as well as International Financial Institutions (WB, IADB, etc) which could take place along the margins of other upcoming energy related events. ¶7. OUTREACH - REGULATORY AND SOCIAL BARRIERS - In Mexico as in the US, both regulatory and social barriers have limited the expansion of renewable energy. There is an opportunity to collaborate closely with Mexico both from a broad public policy perspective as well as a technical perspective to address these issues. Academics, scientists and state officials (especially border states) could be brought into such a discussion. ¶8. INCENTIVES - Mexico does not provide subsidies for renewable energy projects. Under Mexican law, the government sets electricity. These factors together have dampened investment interest in renewable. A USAID study addressing incentives and social perceptions related to renewable energy, especially wind energy, will be released in April 2009. There are opportunities for the US and Mexico to jointly examine incentives for increasing renewable energy generation. ¶9. TRANSMISSION GRIDS - The renewable energy potential is Mexico is generally far from population centers. Grid interconnection is an issue. USAID has been working on this with GOM through a project that ends this month. If additional funding were made available, continued collaboration on this issue would be valuable. ¶10. ENERGY AND COMPETITIVENESS - USAID is working on a program which addresses energy among several key components affecting Mexico's economic competitiveness. The energy component focuses on renewable production and energy conservation and includes small-scale renewable energy projects and research on international best practices. This project highlights the connection between development and clean energy technologies and has great potential for expansion. ¶11. COLLABORATION ON SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGIES - Mexico is interested in working more closely with the USG to develop certain specific technologies including solar, geothermal and wind. There may be opportunities for US institutions to work more closely with Mexican institutions on research and development via National Science Foundation Grants and its Mexican counterpart CONACYT to develop and commercialize technologies. TRILATERAL: -------------- ¶12. The North American Energy Working Group (NAEWG) Ministers last met July 2007 in Canada. It is Mexico's turn to host the next ministerial meeting, but no date or agenda has been set. We suspect the GOM is waiting for Energy Secretary Kessel to meet with DOE Secretary Chu before making a proposal for a meeting. In the meantime, the Mexicans have signaled certain topics on which they would like to focus. ¶13. REVITALIZE AGREEMENT ON ENERGY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: The agreement was signed in July 2007 under the North American Energy Working Group (NAEWG) and allows the three countries to co-finance MEXICO 00000671 003 OF 003 research projects. The challenge has been finding projects of interest to all three countries. The architecture is in place, but no projects have been started. Possible areas of interest include biofuels and carbon capture and storage. ¶14. EXPAND TRILATERAL STANDARDS AND ENERGY STAR - NAEWG has promoted establishing trilateral standards for domestic appliances. Mexico would be interested in expanding the program. It may also be possible to encourage Mexico to participate with the US and Canada in the Energy Star efficiency program. ¶15. PROMOTE GREEN BUILDINGS - The Mexican National Commission for Energy Savings (CONUEE - formerly known as CONAIE) is interested in launching a project through the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) to reduce energy use and CO2 emissions by fostering green buildings. The Mexican proposal emphasizes financial and environmental metrics for green building performance. In Canada, Mexico and the US, commercial and residential building operations account for approximately 23, 30 and 40 percent of energy consumption, respectively. These buildings release about 2,200 tons of CO2 in the air, approximately 35% of the continents total. MULTILATERAL: -------------- ¶16. The GOM does not have the resources to play a significant role multilaterally on energy issues beyond its current commitments. Mexico will host the third biannual meeting of state owned oil companies in May 2010 and substantial resources are already being committed to planning that activity. The Mexicans will be supportive of other multilateral and regional energy events but realistically will not have the personnel to devote too much attention to new initiatives. COMMENT: -------------- ¶17. The Mexican press reported heavily on President Obama's trip to Ottawa in February and the trip's focus on energy and environment. The US-Canada Clean Energy Dialogue was noted and senior GOM officials commented in the press that it is a program Mexico would be interested in joining. We expect the Mexicans will raise this with senior USG officials and we need to be prepared to respond when they do. Engaging with the GOM in a series of projects to promote clean and renewable energy may provide Mexico with an equally high profile initiative to address the GOM interest. However, the degree to which we can interact with Mexico on the proposals outlined in this cable will depend largely on available resources both in Mexico and the US. In the meantime, post will maximize the impact of current resources by expanding outreach on renewable energy and climate change - both through public speaking opportunities and existing programs. BASSETT