Renewable Energy
Instead of giving tens of billions in tax breaks to Big Oil, we must invest in a new green economy and a sustainable future for New Mexico and the nation. Fuel costs are hurting New Mexican families, and rising prices show no sign of slowing down. We need a new-energy revolution to lower the costs of heating and cooling our homes and free us from our dependence on fossil fuels. I believe a new-energy economy will also be the source of new jobs for New Mexico’s workforce.
As a New Mexico Public Regulation Commissioner, I have been actively involved in developing legislation to raise New Mexico’s Renewable Portfolio Standards and increase development of renewable energy technology over the next decade.
Under my leadership, the PRC implemented an increase in the percentage of renewable energy that utilities must supply, making New Mexico’s standards some of the highest in the nation. By 2015, 15 percent of electricity that PNM and other state utilities supply must come from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, and by 2020 the percentage increases to 20 percent. To meet this standard, utilities must invest in clean technologies such as concentrated solar and biomass. I fought to increase New Mexico’s net-metering limit to one of the highest in the nation, allowing consumers who generate their own renewable energy to sell power back to the utilities.
In Congress, I’ll work to make renewable energy development a priority. Instead of giving billions in tax breaks to Big Oil, we can shift these benefits to businesses that produce and develop renewable sources of energy. Instead of relying on foreign oil, we can create a green-energy economy right here in New Mexico by producing more renewable energy.
Diversify our Energy Sources
Our country must diversify our energy sources and begin to change the way we generate energy. In New Mexico, we increased the renewable portfolio standard to require utility companies to draw a certain portion of the energy they produce from renewable sources. We can take a cue from the work we have done on the Public Regulation Commission. I’ll work to create a national Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires utility companies to provide a percentage of energy from renewable sources. We can also increase net-metering limits to encourage homes and businesses to develop their own renewable energy.
Extending Tax Credits
We need to invest in clean renewable energy and build a clean energy economy. Under current legislation, renewable energy tax credits expire after two years. I’ll work to extend the Production Tax Credit to encourage economic growth and job creation in the renewable energy industry by promoting stability. Part of the problem is that the industry doesn’t know if they’ll have the resources they need from year-to-year. We need to give them reassurance, so they invest in their vision and hire the best and brightest minds to carry out their vision.
Solar and Wind Development
This is an exciting time for New Mexico, which is uniquely positioned to lead America into a new, high-wage green economy. Solar and wind have supplied only a tiny percentage of our nation’s energy consumption so far. But a new development called concentrated solar technology can store the sun’s energy, clearing a major obstacle to widespread solar use. New Mexico is one of only a few states whose climate is ideal for development of this technology. Investment in this clean, green, and renewable resource can create high-paying jobs and economic opportunity throughout New Mexico.
Resources in New Mexico
Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories were initially established to preserve and protect our national security. Expanding technological research right here in our own back yard would continue the tradition of protecting our national security while strengthening our state’s economy and providing job security for constituents of the 3rd Congressional District.
We must use the resources and opportunity we have in New Mexico to take the lead in solving the problems facing renewable energy, including improving storage and transmission of generated energy. Our national laboratories employ some of the finest minds in the world. By using the national laboratories we can apply those scientific resources to create innovative renewable energy solutions.
Creating a Green Economy through Education
We must also create more research and development in the growing field of renewable energy. Greater opportunities for our brightest young people in this growing sector will inevitably lead to solving the storage problem and producing more affordable clean-energy sources and applications. Northern New Mexico College is leading the way with its proposed Solar Energy Research Park. Continuing to partner with institutions of higher learning can develop a new generation of scientists in New Mexico who will experiment, innovate and develop new forms of energy that will help preserve our environment for our children and grandchildren.
As a New Mexico Public Regulation Commissioner, I have been actively involved in developing legislation to raise New Mexico’s Renewable Portfolio Standards and increase development of renewable energy technology over the next decade.
Under my leadership, the PRC implemented an increase in the percentage of renewable energy that utilities must supply, making New Mexico’s standards some of the highest in the nation. By 2015, 15 percent of electricity that PNM and other state utilities supply must come from renewable sources, such as solar and wind, and by 2020 the percentage increases to 20 percent. To meet this standard, utilities must invest in clean technologies such as concentrated solar and biomass. I fought to increase New Mexico’s net-metering limit to one of the highest in the nation, allowing consumers who generate their own renewable energy to sell power back to the utilities.
In Congress, I’ll work to make renewable energy development a priority. Instead of giving billions in tax breaks to Big Oil, we can shift these benefits to businesses that produce and develop renewable sources of energy. Instead of relying on foreign oil, we can create a green-energy economy right here in New Mexico by producing more renewable energy.
Diversify our Energy Sources
Our country must diversify our energy sources and begin to change the way we generate energy. In New Mexico, we increased the renewable portfolio standard to require utility companies to draw a certain portion of the energy they produce from renewable sources. We can take a cue from the work we have done on the Public Regulation Commission. I’ll work to create a national Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires utility companies to provide a percentage of energy from renewable sources. We can also increase net-metering limits to encourage homes and businesses to develop their own renewable energy.
Extending Tax Credits
We need to invest in clean renewable energy and build a clean energy economy. Under current legislation, renewable energy tax credits expire after two years. I’ll work to extend the Production Tax Credit to encourage economic growth and job creation in the renewable energy industry by promoting stability. Part of the problem is that the industry doesn’t know if they’ll have the resources they need from year-to-year. We need to give them reassurance, so they invest in their vision and hire the best and brightest minds to carry out their vision.
Solar and Wind Development
This is an exciting time for New Mexico, which is uniquely positioned to lead America into a new, high-wage green economy. Solar and wind have supplied only a tiny percentage of our nation’s energy consumption so far. But a new development called concentrated solar technology can store the sun’s energy, clearing a major obstacle to widespread solar use. New Mexico is one of only a few states whose climate is ideal for development of this technology. Investment in this clean, green, and renewable resource can create high-paying jobs and economic opportunity throughout New Mexico.
Resources in New Mexico
Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories were initially established to preserve and protect our national security. Expanding technological research right here in our own back yard would continue the tradition of protecting our national security while strengthening our state’s economy and providing job security for constituents of the 3rd Congressional District.
We must use the resources and opportunity we have in New Mexico to take the lead in solving the problems facing renewable energy, including improving storage and transmission of generated energy. Our national laboratories employ some of the finest minds in the world. By using the national laboratories we can apply those scientific resources to create innovative renewable energy solutions.
Creating a Green Economy through Education
We must also create more research and development in the growing field of renewable energy. Greater opportunities for our brightest young people in this growing sector will inevitably lead to solving the storage problem and producing more affordable clean-energy sources and applications. Northern New Mexico College is leading the way with its proposed Solar Energy Research Park. Continuing to partner with institutions of higher learning can develop a new generation of scientists in New Mexico who will experiment, innovate and develop new forms of energy that will help preserve our environment for our children and grandchildren.
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