Jul 31 - Albuquerque Journal

Gov. Bill Richardson spent an hour brainstorming last week with representatives from state and regional governments, industry and renewable energy advocacy groups to help draft policies to enhance New Mexico's renewable energy industry.

Producing energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass could become an engine that creates more economic activity and jobs in New Mexico, Richardson said.

New Mexico ranks sixth in the nation in wind energy production, according to new statistics released by the American Wind Energy Association last week.

Richardson called the meeting at the McCune Foundation in Santa Fe to ask for suggestions on what the state could do to encourage more production, export and use of renewable energy.

"The real action in renewables is happening at the state level," Richardson said.

New power lines, increased tax credits for solar energy, and incentives to use alternative vehicle fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel were discussed.

Public Regulation Commission chairman Ben Lujan, Bill Real, Public Service Company of New Mexico's senior vice president for public policy, and Ben Luce chairman of the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy said legislation to promote more transmission lines is critical. More lines would enable producers in New Mexico to export wind and solar power to energy-hungry Southwestern states such as Arizona and California.

Bills to create a transmission authority similar to the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority to help finance new transmission lines have failed to make it through in the last two legislative sessions.

Lujan suggested raising the level of renewable energy that utilities are required to use. Current state law requires utilities to derive 5 percent of their power from renewable sources, rising to 10 percent in 2010.

Luce proposed an increase in the state tax credit from 1 cent to 2 cents for each kilowatthour of solar energy produced.

Several of those who attended suggested that state and local governments should replace their fleets with hybrid or fuel- efficient vehicles.

(c) 2006 Albuquerque Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.