New Mexico had 1,600 jobs in the state's solar industry last year, according to a report released Thursday by The Solar Foundation. While the state saw a small loss in jobs, regional competitors like Arizona and Texas saw strong growth in the solar industry and ranked in the top six states for the number of solar jobs. Colorado, which has 4,200 jobs in the state's solar industry, was 11th nationally. The findings and regional growth highlight the jobs potential in New Mexico for a clean-energy transition from PNM's San Juan Generating Station coal-fired power plant.
"New Mexicans invested more than 23 million on residential solar systems last year and millions more on commercial solar systems,"SAID REGINA WHEELER, CEO OF POSITIVE ENERGY SOLAR, WHICH HAS OFFICES IN LAS CRUCES, ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE. "Solar installations create thousands of skilled, local jobs in our state, where the economic and jobs outlook has been challenging. Positive Energy Solar filled 30 new positions in 2014, hiring engineers, project managers and tradespeople as well as marketing, sales and administrative professionals. As a state with an incredible solar resource, we have a real opportunity to create jobs and meet our energy and environmental goals through policies that promote solar."
"New Mexico can and should be a clean-energy leader," SAID SENATOR MIMI STEWART FROM BERNALILLO COUNTY. "Across our region, solar is putting workers back on the job, providing energy choice to consumers, and reducing energy waste for homeowners and small businesses. Rather than putting up barriers to this growing industry, New Mexico should embrace new technologies and innovation that will spur economic development and growth here at home."
A coalition of New Mexico community groups recently called on the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) to reject a plan that would extend PNM's commitment to the San Juan Generating Station coal plant, thereby threatening the health and financial security of New Mexico families. The PRC recently concluded hearings on PNM's proposal, which generated strong opposition from New Mexico faith leaders, public health groups, clean-energy advocates, environmental organizations, and more.
Support for continued burning of coal at the San Juan Generating Station has fallen as admissions by the company have revealed serious financial risks for the future of the plant. Earlier this month, the home city of the plant, Farmington, New Mexico, announced it would not acquire an increased stake in the plant due to reliability concerns and the huge costs that would be passed on to the community. Other New Mexico stakeholders have also pulled away from an agreement that would continue PNM's use of coal at the plant, citing the overall uncertainty about San Juan's operations.
"While PNM charges ahead with its plan to double down on dirty and expensive coal, cities and utilities in our region are stepping back and safeguarding communities from the growing risks," SAID NELLIS KENNEDY-HOWARD, SENIOR CAMPAIGN REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SIERRA CLUB'S BEYOND COAL CAMPAIGN IN NEW MEXICO. "Coal is a bad bet. As the cost of solar continues to plummet, communities across our region are investing in affordable, reliable clean-energy solutions like solar. With thousands of jobs across our region, we too should embrace a future of more jobs and more clean energy rather than a future of more dirty, expensive coal."
Solar jobs numbers, as well as an assessment and ranking of industry indicators for all 50 states, are available at The Solar Foundation's State Solar Jobs Map, www.SolarStates.org. A more detailed analysis of the Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, New York, and Texas solar markets that includes statistically significant district-level jobs numbers, as well as the National Solar Jobs Census 2014, can be found at www.TSFcensus.org. The National Solar Jobs Census 2014 - of which the State Solar Jobs Map is an offshoot - was conducted by The Solar Foundation and BW Research Partnership with support from The George Washington University. The full report, derived from data collected from more than 7,600 U.S. businesses, measured employment growth in the solar industry between November 2013 and November 2014. The margin of error of this data set is +/-2.03%.
