Senator Heinrich: A 100% Clean Energy Grid Is ‘Completely Doable’

Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) outlines his new “Clean Energy Vision” in a special episode of Political Climate.

Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich is the son of a utility lineman, and one of just a few engineers in Congress. 

Clean energy piqued the New Mexico lawmaker’s interest at an early age, while he was building and racing solar-powered cars in college. But for most of his life, he says, it was hard to imagine a world in which renewables could power more than 20 or 30 percent of the electric grid. 

New Mexico Senator Creates Sweeping Solar Toolkit for State

In an effort to boost the state’s solar industry, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich created a solar roadmap for businesses, government entities, schools and other commercial properties.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, New Mexico currently produced only 3.8% of its electricity from solar sources. But one of its U.S. Senators, Martin Heinrich, is trying to change that.

AG's Office Introduces Disclosure Requirement for Solar Merchants in New Mexico

Form includes information on payments, fees, and tax credits and rebates.

Investing in solar power infrastructure could become a more transparent process for potential residential consumers in the state with a disclosure requirement introduced by New Mexico’s Office of the Attorney General.

The disclosure requirement is a form that merchants would have to fill out for a potential customer in order to help the customer understand the solar power system purchase, lease and power purchasing agreement, according to James Hallinan, communications director for the AG's Office.

New Solar Law Protects Consumers in New Mexico

New Mexico indeed is the Land of Enchantment. And like much of the Southwestern United States, New Mexico is blessed with abundant sunshine. It is precisely because they enjoy more than 300 days a year of unencumbered sunshine that many of the state’s residents have taken an interest in solar energy.

This is certainly an exciting and accessible renewable energy source that stands to diversify how people power their homes and businesses. Unfortunately, as with any new industry, bad actors have cropped up exhibiting poor business practice sand deceiving unsuspecting customers. To protect New Mexicans as the use of solar power expands, Gov. Susana Martinez recently signed into law a measure by state Sen. Clemente Sanchez, D-Grants, and state Rep. Debbie Rodella, D-Española, titled the Solar Consumer Bill of Rights (Senate Bill 210/House Bill 199).

New Mexico Bill Would Require Public Utilities to ‘Shop’ for Energy Prices

New Mexico State Senator Joseph Cervantes (D-District 52) introduced a bill (SB-360) on February 8 that would require publicly owned electric utilities to choose the least-costly alternative when proposing purchases of new energy sources.

“This begins with the recognition that the price for renewable energy is falling dramatically,” Cervantes told The Sante Fe New Mexican on February 10. “So the goal behind this legislation would be to try to encourage a competitive market, which is emerging with renewable energy.”

Navajo Nation Leaders in New Mexico Sign Energy Bills into Law

Leaders of the Navajo Nation's executive and legislative branches have signed into law several pieces of legislation concerning the tribe's energy future.

In two separate signing ceremonies Thursday in Window Rock, Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly and Navajo Nation Council Speaker Johnny Naize signed the Navajo Nation Energy Policy of 2013.

Public Regulation Commission approves new energy charge rate

The Public Regulation Commission approved a new renewable energy rate rider Tuesday to allow Public Service Company of New Mexico to begin recovering its investments in solar, wind and other clean energy sources.

Customer bills, for the first time, also will carry a line item showing the cost of renewables along with an explanation that they reduce the amount the utility spends on fossil fuels.

The green energy charge could begin appearing on bills as soon as this month, depending on when the commission publishes its final order, said PNM spokeswoman Susan Sponar.

Solar industry scores another record year in market value

The solar industry seems to have turned in yet another record-breaking year in 2010, as the total market value of the sector spiked 67% to $6 billion from $3.6 billion in 2009, according to an annual report.

Companies installed 878 megawatts of photovoltaic solar and 78 megawatts of concentrating solar power facilities, enough to power about 200,000 homes, according to trade group Solar Energy Industries Assn. and GTM Research on Thursday.