Mexico uses solar power to ease poverty and extreme heat
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In northern Mexico, families are using solar panels to reduce high electricity bills and cope with extreme heat. Yolanda Hernández of Mexicali, a city near the US border, struggled to afford both air conditioning and therapy for her neurodivergent son, with monthly electricity costs reaching 900 reais (approximately $150 USD).
In March 2025, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum launched the “Sol del Norte” program to provide subsidies for solar panel installation in low-income homes.
After receiving panels in November 2025, Hernández’s electricity bill decreased from three thousand pesos to between 500 and one thousand pesos monthly. The “Sol del Norte” program has so far benefited 5,134 families in Mexicali and San Felipe, reducing their average annual electricity expenses by 60%, with peak summer savings reaching 85%. The state of Sonora has also begun implementing the program in Hermosillo, aiming to help five thousand households.
Activists and academics note the program must expand and be paired with other measures like appliance upgrades to fully address energy poverty. Beyond Mexico, initiatives in the United States, like the Boston Medical Center’s “Prescription for Clean Energy” and projects in Phoenix and Chelsea, demonstrate the potential of solar power to improve health and economic outcomes for vulnerable communities. Experts emphasize that the health benefits of solar energy are often overlooked in discussions focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Approximately 46.6 million Mexicans experience energy poverty, and advocates are working to adjust electricity rates in cities like Mexicali to reflect rising temperatures and prevent further financial strain on residents.
