In Peru, Mexico and Chile, among other markets, record low prices have been set, in some cases as low as around US$ 30 per MWh. This has happened in a context of overcapacity of solar module production, which has generated pressure for the development of emerging markets. In Mexico, solar energy even registered lower prices than wind energy. It was the first source by volume of electricity awarded in the two electricity auctions this year. In the auction last March, solar won three quarters and in September it won over half. Unlike in other international renewable energy auctions, in Mexico there are no categories for technology but different energy sources called 'clean sources' compete in the auction. The Mexican case stands out at international level due to the large amount of projects that have been awarded, and the low prices. The import tax on solar modules was not an obstacle to the 1,796 MW (AC) that were awarded in the auction in March at a median price of US$ 44.9 per MWh. In the September auction, prices were even lower: 1,823 MW (AC) were awarded at a median price of US$ 31.7 per MWh, according to estimations by the solar association Asolmex. Altogether this means that this year more than 3.6 GW (AC) of solar were awarded in auctions. The results in the Mexican auctions follow the trend of what has been happening in other Latin American markets in the last year. From a chronological perspective, it was in Chile a year ago that the new trend was confirmed. In an auction aimed to increase the participation of renewable energy in the Chilean electricity auctions, renewables won all the contracts because they offered lower prices than conventional energy sources. PV and solar thermal won one fourth of the 1.2 terawatt-hours awarded. The rest was awarded to wind projects. A PV project ...Den vollständigen Artikel lesen ...