Mexico's energy ministry SENER is developing a comprehensive regulatory framework for the country's biomethane sector, including a new Official Mexican Standard (NOM) covering quality specifications, grid injection protocols and supply chain traceability.
The framework was outlined publicly for the first time by Enrique Contreras, SENER's Subdirector of Biofuels, during the VI National Biogas Technical Forum.
Contreras confirmed that the ministry is working in parallel on a biogas roadmap and that full traceability — tracking biomethane from feedstock origin through production, purification, transport and distribution — is central to the regulatory design.
The NOM addresses a gap that has persisted since the Biofuels Law and its October 2025 regulations established the legal architecture for the sector: without published quality thresholds and injection norms, project developers have been unable to close financing because lenders cannot adequately model operational and contractual risk.
Industry representatives at the forum highlighted the technical complexity involved. Óscar Mendoza, Gas Director at Gasoductos y Estaciones del Norte, noted that unlike conventional natural gas, biogas requires chromatography analysis to determine calorific value and Wobbe index compliance before grid injection is possible.
Rafael Mercado of Naturgy México said the company is considering investment in short network extensions to facilitate biomethane injection at district metering and intermediate pressure stations — points where blending flexibility is greatest.
Julio César López of Igasamex warned that existing contractual frameworks for natural gas would need adaptation, and that project financing would continue to be negotiated case by case until the NOM is in place.
The framework is directly relevant to Brimex Energy, which holds Mexico's first commercial biomethane permit and processes around 900 tonnes of organic waste daily at its facility in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco. CN Biogás President Guillermo Gómez has indicated that at least ten projects could be submitted for permitting in 2026, with the NOM timeline likely to determine whether commercial-scale installations come online in 2027 or are delayed into 2028.
Source: Mexico Business News
