ABSTRACT
In many cases the progress made was substantial, although it was restricted to certain regions because of the competitiveness of conventional energy sources. The United Nations classification of new energy sources includes solar, geothermal, oil shale, tar sands, and hydraulic from small waterfalls. This chapter addresses those new sources that because of their state of technological development. It provides a general overview of the extent to which the nonconventional energy forms have been developed, the obstacles and constraints encountered in their diffusion and their prospects for the future. On the basis of Mexico's abundant potential, the national energy program has placed special emphasis on geothermal energy in the medium and long term. By the mid-1970s Mexico's energy situation was favorable because of the new hydrocarbon discoveries. Mexico's forests contain 54 million cubic meters of wood, which is comparable to 16 million tons of coal with an energy content equivalent to 12 percent of the national commercial energy consumption in 1982.
