Chihuahua takes off toward a cleaner future

Chihuahua is consolidating its position as a key player in the Mexican aerospace industry as it moves steadily toward a sustainable production model backed by clean energy. The combination of high technology, foreign investment, and environmental commitment has made the state a benchmark for industrial innovation at the national level.

Mexico currently ranks twelfth in global aerospace manufacturing and is among the top five countries in terms of foreign direct investment in the sector. Of the 386 companies in the industry operating in 19 states across the country, Chihuahua stands out as one of the main production centers alongside Baja California, Nuevo León, Querétaro, and Sonora. Projections by the Mexican Federation of the Aerospace Industry (FEMIA) estimate that the sector will reach US$11.2 billion in exports by the end of 2025.

This growth has been accompanied by a strategic commitment to more sustainable energy sources. According to official figures, Chihuahua closed 2024 with an installed distributed generation capacity of 317.74 megawatts, positioning it as the third state in the country with the highest production under this scheme. This trend responds, in part, to the energy needs of a highly demanding industrial sector, but also to a long-term vision that seeks to ensure cleaner and more resilient operations.

A notable example of this transition is GKN Aerospace, which collaborated with Enlight to install 1,129 solar panels at its plant in the state capital. The installation generates approximately 926 megawatt-hours per year, representing a reduction of 406 tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to planting nearly 39,000 trees.

In addition to the environmental impact, these types of investments strengthen the competitiveness of companies by reducing operating costs and ensuring energy stability in an environment of growing demand. In this regard, GKN Aerospace has set ambitious goals: to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2025 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Despite these advances, challenges remain related to electrical infrastructure, streamlining regulatory procedures, and the need to train specialized talent in sectors such as aerospace engineering and clean generation technologies. Nevertheless, Chihuahua seems to have a clear direction: to consolidate itself as a high value-added industrial hub that is also committed to sustainability as a strategic axis.

With an expanding industrial ecosystem and a growing commitment to the environment, the state is not only building a more robust production platform, but also a model that could shape the future of advanced manufacturing in Mexico.