Gemex proposes to build a $145 million dollars solar park in Kopomá, a project that has sparked concerns due to environmental and energy issues.
The company Gemex, dedicated to renewable energy, submitted a request to develop a solar park in the municipalities of Kopomá and Maxcanú in Yucatan. However, they must first address the environmental impact before construction can begin.
The proposed project aims to supply clean energy by installing an electric grid connection to the National Electricity System (SEN). The park would be equipped with 224,910 solar panels, a control center, transmission lines, substations, offices, and warehouses.
Gemex is investing $145 million USD in the project, with a significant portion of that going towards environmental prevention and mitigation measures.
If approved by SEMARNAT, the construction will take two years to complete, with an estimated lifespan of 50 years.
This initiative comes as other companies have attempted to develop renewable energy projects in Yucatan over the past few years. However, these plans were put on hold due to changes in the electricity reform implemented by the federal government.
Despite the setbacks, CFE has made progress in recent months, including the launch of the Nachi Cocom solar power plant. This project provides clean energy for Merida’s Ie-Tram transportation system and is a significant step forward in the region’s transition to renewable energy.
The construction of a solar park like Gemex’ proposal raises concerns about environmental impact and the reliance on imported technology. Moreover, the project’s economic viability remains uncertain due to changing market conditions and the ongoing economic crisis.
With an investment of 145 million dollars, a company seeks to build a solar park in the municipality of Kopomá.
To strengthen the sustainable energy industry in Yucatán, the company Gemex intends to build the “San Bernardo” solar park in the municipality of Kopomá. For this, it will install more than 224,000 solar panels and invest 145 million dollars.
The renewable energy company has submitted a request to develop a solar park in the municipality of Kopomá and part of Maxcanú, Yucatán, presenting the Environmental Impact Statement (MIA) to the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).
The project aims to supply clean energy by installing an electrical energy network to enter the market with competitive prices for businesses or homes, directly connecting to the National Electric System (SEN).
They plan to install an area of panels with 224,910 photovoltaic modules to capture solar energy and generate electricity, along with solar inverters, a transformation center, a medium and low voltage network, a weather station, internal roads, an electrical substation, and the construction of offices and warehouses for general use. It will have a data supervision, control, and management system and a security booth.
For the construction of the project, Gemex foresees an investment of 145 million dollars, of which one million dollars will be used for environmental prevention and mitigation actions. If they obtain the environmental permit from SEMARNAT to manipulate a 215-hectare land, it is expected to be built in two years and have a useful life of 50 years.
Currently, the million-dollar project is under evaluation by SEMARNAT, and it is expected that in the coming weeks, the authority will issue a resolution, either to approve the construction in the municipality of Kopomá or to cancel it due to environmental infeasibility.
The Gemex project is not the first in Yucatán, as other national companies have attempted to build sustainable energy projects in previous years, including 11 wind plants and eight photovoltaic plants, which have not been consolidated due to the impact of the electricity reform promoted by the Federal Government. With projects halted since 2020, around 70 billion pesos and thousands of jobs were lost.
Although the private initiative has not advanced at the projected speed, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) in July of this year put into operation the first phase of the “Nachi Cocom” photovoltaic plant, becoming one of the main sources of energy supply for the Ie-Tram public transport network in Mérida.
Regarding this project, the Undersecretary of Energy, Juan Carlos Vega Milke, explained that the photovoltaic plant allows the operation of 32 units of the electrical subsystem, the same vehicles used for night runs.
Currently, the plant charges the batteries of electric buses for the operation of rural routes, and to consolidate the project, the Federal Government invested 12 million dollars to produce 100 percent renewable energy. The works began two years ago under the orders of the general director of CFE, Manuel Bartlett Díaz.
