skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

PRC Proposal Could Hurt New Mexico Solar Development

play audio
Play

Thursday, September 5, 2013   

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Some of New Mexico's green energy production could be reduced by a change to the Public Regulation Commission rule that enforces the Renewable Energy Act.

The PRC sets calculations for how much renewables cost. Environmental advocates claim that proposed changes would make it easier for utilities to circumvent those figures to make solar energy appear more expensive than it really is.

Chuck Noble, an attorney for Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, says that could hurt renewable energy, especially solar.

"Solar's available during the day, during the hottest periods, and can displace capacity, which is actual fossil fuel generation,” he explains. “We think that solar resources can actually offset the need for fossil fuel plants."

The PRC will hold a public comment hearing September 10.

In December 2012, the PRC also set diversity standards calling for 30 percent of renewable energy in the state to come from wind, 20 percent from solar, 5 percent from other sources and 1.5 percent from rooftop solar. But Noble says the Commission may remove the diversity standard. He calls that’s bad news economically for New Mexico.

The idea for the changes came from the New Mexico Industrial Energy Consumers and the State Attorney General's office.

Noble says he suspects part of the reason may be the comparatively low cost of wind energy.

"There may be some members of that group that feel that they will have lower costs if they can have only wind energy in the state – no solar energy,” he explains. “I think it's short-sighted and has a very narrow view of what renewables are about, and what the benefits to even residential ratepayers are from resources other than wind energy."

Noble adds doing away with the diversity standard could devastate rooftop solar development in the state, as well as economic development, hurting operations like the Lightning Dock Project, New Mexico's first geothermal installation in Hidalgo County.





get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …

Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021