Placing Renewable Energy Plants on State Trust

New Mexico has an abundance of sunshine, wind and geothermal resources, making us a natural location for renewable energy production and clean energy jobs.   We will once again focus on locating renewable energy plants on State Trust Land in New Mexico. 

During my previous terms as Land Commissioner, we recruited the first renewable energy facility on the Eastern plains of New Mexico by teaming with Florida Power and Light and the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM).  In addition, our team oversaw the development of the state’s largest distributive solar array at our Sandia Science and Technology Park and the largest commercial solar array – 150 Mega Watts on State Trust Land near Nutt, New Mexico. 

We also recruited and signed the lease for Iberdrola Renewables to site a 1000 mega-watt wind farm on Trust and private land in Torrance County and signed the first lease for a utility level commercial geothermal energy plant.  We are proud of the fact that these successful public-private projects represented the first wave of establishing New Mexico as America’s leader in the generation of renewable energy.  When my team returns to the Land Office with your help we’ll get back to the business of making renewable energy development a top priority on State Trust Lands.