Mexico biofuel projects face regulatory delays

Mexico holds a potential of over $130 million in biofuel projects that are currently stalled due to a lack of secondary regulations and technical standards. Guillermo Gómez, president of the National Biogas Council (CNBiogás), stated that while the Ministry of Energy (Sener) has moved quickly to issue permits, other federal agencies—including Semarnat, Sader, and the SAT—have yet to provide clear rules or pronouncements.

Specific technical standards (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas) are still being developed to define chemical components for fuels such as biogas, biomethane, biojet fuel, biodiesel, and bioethanol. Additionally, guidelines for injecting biomethane into existing natural gas distribution networks are still pending. This lack of inter-agency coordination is preventing ready-to-launch projects from beginning operations.

Despite these regulatory hurdles, the government has already granted eight permits for the production, commercialization, and distribution of biofuels. These include three production permits, four commercialization permits, and one distribution permit. One notable project involves the production of biomethane from a landfill in Querétaro.