From August 2024 to July 2025, fossil fuels have been the dominant source of electricity in Mexico, accounting for more than three-quarters of the total generation. Natural gas alone contributes around 59%, while coal and oil follow with close to 8% and 5% respectively. On the other hand, electricity generated from clean sources, such as solar, wind, hydropower, and nuclear, makes up approximately 24% of the total. Hydropower is at the forefront of these low-carbon energy sources, supplying nearly 8% of the electricity, and solar and wind are also significant, each contributing around 6%. Nuclear energy, while modest compared to fossil fuels, still accounts for about 3% of the electricity generated. Mexico’s electricity mix thus remains heavily reliant on fossil energy, with a substantial opportunity to enhance the share of low-carbon sources.
Is Electricity Growing in Mexico?
The overall electricity consumption in Mexico has seen a slight decline, with the latest figures for 2025 indicating a consumption of 2761 kWh per person. This is a decrease of 27 kWh per person from the previous record set in 2024. Similarly, low-carbon electricity generation has also dropped, with the most recent numbers showing 667 kWh per person, which is a reduction of 70 kWh per person compared to the peak recorded in 2021. This stagnation/dip in both total and clean electricity generation is concerning, given the urgent need to expand cleaner energy sources to mitigate the environmental impact of heavy fossil fuel dependency and meet growing future demand.
Suggestions
To bolster its low-carbon electricity capacity, Mexico could benefit from adopting strategies employed by regions with significant achievements in solar and nuclear energy. For instance, France and Slovakia have achieved outstanding levels of nuclear energy generation, contributing around 69% and 64% of their electricity mix, respectively. Similarly, the US state of Iowa demonstrates leadership in wind energy, with almost 62% of its electricity generated from this clean source. Mexico, blessed with abundant sunshine, can look to countries like Lebanon and states such as Nevada and California, which have capitalized on solar energy to generate over 20% of their electricity. Emphasizing nuclear and solar energy can dramatically reduce Mexico's reliance on fossil fuels, making strides toward a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.
History
In historical terms, Mexico's journey with low-carbon electricity has experienced various ups and downs. In the early 1980s, particularly in 1981 and 1985, hydropower saw significant increases, but was met by notable declines in 1986 and 1994. The trend of fluctuating hydropower levels continued into the subsequent decades, with occasional spikes in 2008 and 2010 but declines in years like 2009 and 2015. Solar energy began its emergence in the 2020s, with a significant increase noted in 2020, followed by additional gains in 2023. Despite these developments, the latest data for 2025 indicates a decline in biofuel-generated electricity, highlighting the need for a more resilient shift towards nuclear and solar production, as the world moves toward a low-carbon future.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.