mexico renews itself - ProMéxico

44 Negocios ProMéxico Negocios ProMéxico 45
Equitable,
Profitable
and Ecological
The brainchild of a Mexican entrepreneur who not only wanted
to spin a profit, but foster a culture of sustainability, Solartec is
a well-positioned, world-class company engaged in research and
development in the renewable energy industry.
____
by david ricardo vizcarra
photos courtesy of solartec
In 2009, Gustavo Tomé, founder of Solartec, decided to focus
his enterprising spirit on a project that he is still excited
about today: photovoltaic systems.
When they started out, Tomé and his partners didn’t
know much about generating electricity from renewable sources.
All they knew was that, at least in the near future, electricity
was going to be in increasingly greater demand as per capita
consumption and the world population continued to grow. The
only thing that was destined to change –and soon– was how we
generated it.
It is estimated that 20 years from now, between 10% and 25%
of the electricity we consume will be solar-generated. In this terrain,
Mexico has several points in its favor. For instance, Mexico
receives twice as much solar radiation as Germany –which has
the highest installed capacity in the world in terms of photovoltaic
systems– and rates among the top five countries in the world with
the greatest potential to capture solar radiation. To put this into
perspective, if we covered just 1% of the northern state of Sonora
with solar panels, we could generate enough electricity to supply
the entire country’s needs.
So, Tomé and his partners put their faith in the sun, a virtually
inexhaustible and impartial source of energy –unlike other natural
resources, which are distributed unevenly, the sun shines equitably
on the whole planet.
From its base in Guanajuato, Solartec has set itself the goal of becoming
the benchmark for the global renewable energy industry, with
products that offer its clients optimum returns on their investment.
Manufactured in compliance with the highest quality standards,
its products have UL and Electrical Power Saving Trust Fund
Label (FIDE) certification. They also comply with the IEC-61215
standard and, pending one final audit process, will have ISO-9000
certification.
Today, the company is highly specialized and invests heavily
in the development of new technologies at its Environmental and
Energy Sustainability Innovation Center in Irapuato, Guanajuato,
into which over 4.5 million usd have been channeled. Here,
Solartec’s R&D team works on technologies that can be patented
and developed in Mexico, although its lines of research are geared
mainly toward the development of third-generation solar cells and
improving the efficiency of photovoltaic panels.
Already its research has translated into tangible consumer
products like garden lamps and accessories, solar battery chargers,
plague and insect control equipment, outdoor lighting systems and
a range of solar-powered accessories.
In addition to promoting a culture of sustainability by collaborating
on programs with the authorities and academic and social
associations, one of the solutions the company offers the Mexican
market is a kit for remote rural communities that costs just 110 usd
and that can power up to three light bulbs.
Another product it sells in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture,
Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food’s (SA-
GARPA) Shared Risk Trust is a solar-powered pump that extracts
water from the subsoil. Used for irrigation purposes, the pump
allows farmers to produce all year round, as opposed to depending
on seasonal crops.
Solartec has also begun working with property developers
like GEO and URBI, and offers a homeowners’ solar kit under
the Green Mortgage program operated by the National Workers’
Housing Fund Institute (Infonavit). Alternatively, homeowners
can apply for financing under the company’s own Enercity
plan, which includes a diagnosis of electricity requirements and
the adaptation and installation of the system. “Contracting Enercity
is as simple as ordering a pizza,” says Tomé.
But the residential sector isn’t the only one Solartec has tackled.
Its corporate portfolio includes names like Wal-Mart, where it
installed the county’s first hybrid system at the company’s corporate
offices. Designed entirely by Mexican engineers, the system is
powered by a combination of solar photovoltaic and wind energy.
Solartec has also installed PV systems at several Wal-Mart stores
around the country, with Water Capital pitching in on the financing
side, and at some ten HSBC branches. Sometimes the panels serve
a dual function. For instance, at one particular HSBC branch in
Mexico City, the panels double up as a facade, and in the case of the
Schneider plant, they serve as roofing for the company’s parking lot.
With sales of 20 million usd in 2011 and projected sales of 37
million usd for 2012, Solartec is well positioned to continue converting
golden opportunities into clean electricity in Mexico’s
renewable energy sector. n
www.solartec.mx