In 2019, Governor Lujan-Grisham signed the Energy Transition Act (ETA) into law. The ETA aims to double renewable energy production in New Mexico by 2025 and requires 50% of all energy to be renewable by 2030 and be 100% renewable by 2045. The ETA was a bold step in the right direction, but without new renewable transmission infrastructure, it will be difficult for our state to meet these goals.
What is Renewable Energy Transmission and How Does it Work?
Transmission lines carry energy from a point of generation into homes and businesses to produce enough electricity to power our needs. Traditionally, transmission lines are connected to fossil fuel generators (coal and gas plants). Power from these plants is then transported from the point of production into transmission lines which transport energy across long distances before making it into your home, for example.
Renewable energy transmission works in the same way, but without the burning of fossil fuels. Instead, solar and wind energy generate electricity which is then transported by transmission lines.
New Mexico is the second sunniest and twelfth windiest state in the country, and we have a vast untapped resource in the form of world-class renewable sources that could push us to be a national leader in clean, renewable energy. But without increased transmission infrastructure, we won’t be able to transport New Mexico produced wind and solar energy to other parts of the state and region.
Good news: there are two renewable energy transmission projects currently in the works. Together, they will bring billions of investment to our state and solve our renewable energy connectivity problem once and for all!
SunZia Transmission Line
SunZia is a proposed transmission line that will connect renewable energy generated in rural communities across 520 miles across Central New Mexico to Southern Arizona. The goal is to help develop wind and solar farms along the route of the transmission line. With this line, around 731,067 New Mexico homes will be powered along with the creation of construction and permanent jobs.
In addition to providing energy, SunZia will bring hundreds of new jobs and economic opportunities to rural areas of New Mexico and Arizona. Places that usually rely on one form of industry– like farming or oil and gas towns — can bring economic and energy diversity and stability to their communities through renewable energy and transmission. Places like Socorro, which relies on New Mexico Tech and Mining Companies– are limited to where their community members can get jobs; consequently many of their residents commute to Albuquerque or Santa Fe for work. Renewable energy can grow and develop counties like Soccoro to make New Mexico the face of renewable energy and drive home the idea of how much it can provide for the rest of the state. Thanks to projects like SunZia, New Mexico will be 100% running on clean and renewable energy by 2045.
Western Spirit Transmission
The Western Spirit Transmission Line is an approved (and currently in development!) 150-mile long transmission project that will bring energy from wind projects in Central New Mexico to the rest of the grid. The transmission line – a $150 million capital investment – will primarily run through Torrance, Socorro, and Valencia Counties and, once completed in late 2021, will be owned by the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM).
Aside from a host of environmental benefits that will result from the 1000 megawatts generated by renewables, the economy is also projected to receive a considerable boost from Western Spirit. Over $1 billion investments in renewable power projects will be made possible as well as hundreds of jobs in construction, maintenance, and operation of wind farms and transmission lines.
Sign our petition today today show your support for projects like these: https://p2a.co/FJz0Yiw