Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico
There is no doubt that solar works for New Mexico. The installed price of solar is lower than it ever has been, and more and more communities throughout New Mexico are building solar into their portfolios. Cities are saving taxpayer dollars, tribes are providing stipends to their members, and businesses in cities and rural communities alike are seeing lower utility bills.
Many of our communities are leading the nation in solar deployment because they are setting and achieving attainable goals: from realizing 25 percent of energy consumption coming from solar by 2025 to going carbon neutral. Best of all, the solar industry now employs almost 2,500 New Mexicans and added 1,000 jobs in 2016 alone.
I am proud to have led a bipartisan group of lawmakers to pass an energy agreement that included a five-year extension of the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which fueled some of this growth. But the hard work from citizens, lawmakers, and businesses is what truly transformed how we power New Mexico.
It is my hope that this solar toolkit provides a launching point for local governments, tribes, schools, power providers, rural businesses, policymakers and educational institutions to consider whether solar can meet their needs. The toolkit highlights success stories from around the state, and provides reflections from the New Mexicans who have gotten the job done. It also highlights commonly used resources. Of course, my staff is also always available to you to help you connect with someone who can answer your questions.
Thank you for your interest in championing solar. I will continue to do everything I can to help New Mexico realize its bright potential.
Sincerely,
Senator Martin Heinrich
