The Mexico Renewable Energy Program focused on the use of renewable energy technologies, particularly photovoltaics and small wind electric systems, for rural, off-grid productive applications.

Productive applications are those that provide an economic benefit to the user of the technology, thus providing a financial means to purchase and maintain the renewable energy system. Such applications make the use of the technology more sustainable and replicable. The use of renewable energy systems in rural off-grid applications is often the most cost-effective way to provide electricity.

The program also supported applications aimed at providing social, health, and/or educational benefits to the user.

Examples of productive applications that the Program supported include agricultural water pumping, storage, and distribution (livestock and drip irrigation); radio communications; ecotourism; milk cooling and refrigeration; commercial lighting; ice making (refrigeration at fisheries); solar crop drying and solar ovens; textile production; greenhouses (water pumping and cooling); and aquaculture (oxygenation of fish ponds).

Other Program examples of applications supporting social, health, and/or educational sectors were: community potable water (pumping, storage, purification, distribution); distance education (Telesecundaria schools, EDUSAT); community hybrid power; home lighting systems; protected areas research/visitor center electrification; telemedicine and health clinic electrification; solar thermal water heating; and efficient wood stoves.