The sun, the wind and the ocean as alternatives for rural electrification in Baja California, México

摘要

Mexico’s energy policy has been based in the use of fossil fuels, however, recently, the energy policy at national and state level has been moving to the use of gas. Baja California peninsula in the north of Mexico is not connected to the national electricity grid; however, it is to southern California in USA. The state is implementing the installation of LNG plants with a lot of problems because the society does not agree with this policy. The issue is that Baja California is one of the states that are growing fastest within Mexico (3%/year) and the economy is also growing fast, hence, the need to increase the energy supply and capacity is a reality. By the other hand, the rural communities of Baja are still under poverty and without the supply of electricity and potable water, among so many other needs. This study has been focused to monitor and evaluate the real potential of the sun, the wind and the ocean, as alternatives that could be implemented in these arid coastal areas, including the assessment of the resources in order to provide potable water by means of the use of the renewable energy resources. Results include a technology assessment system of the oceanic options.