New Mexico RPS: 20% by 2020

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D) signed into law two bills that he called “the cornerstones of my clean energy agenda”—one of which doubles the state’s renewable energy requirement to 20% by 2020.

Senate Bill 418 requires that at least 15% of an electric utility’s power supply come from renewable sources by 2015 and 20% by 2020. Meanwhile, House Bill 188 establishes the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority (RETA), which will help the state export wind, solar, and other renewable energy and further build a “high-wage, high-tech” economy for the state. Underscoring the link between transmission and renewables, HB188 requires that lines contracted by RETA have at least 30% of their energy come from renewable energy sources.

“Although some states have similar transmission planning entities, our Renewable Energy Transmission Authority makes New Mexico the first state to have a strong requirement for renewable energy,” said Ben Luce, policy director of the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy. “This will require the development of huge amounts of renewable energy above the requirement of the new RPS.”

In 2004, Richardson signed New Mexico’s first renewable portfolio standard (RPS) into law, requiring that 5% of the state’s electricity come from renewable sources by 2006 and 10% by 2011.

“Today, Governor Richardson signs into law a bill that will become a cornerstone for New Mexico’s New Energy Economy,” said Lauren Ketcham, environmental advocate with Environment New Mexico. “Doubling our use of renewable energy to 20% by 2020 will protect our air, cut global warming pollution and increase our energy security.”

New Mexico’s current investment in renewable energy has been a success, Environment New Mexico noted. Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) is expected to meet the state’s current RPS of 10% several years ahead of schedule, Environment New Mexico said. PNM, meanwhile, also supports the RPS. “We think it’s good for the environment and we think it’s good for the economy,” PNM spokesperson Susan Sponar told Wind Energy Weekly.

According to Sponar, renewables make up 8% of PNM’s energy resource portfolio, eclipsing its 6% requirement for 2007. Its renewables portfolio includes wind and solar, with wind accounting for 5% of the mix.



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