New Mexico's Energy Future, Part 1: A few sunny facts



New Mexico’s Energy Future

Part 1: New Mexican Sun


Leap Year (2/29) Snowpack had
been reduced significantly due to a
powerful February sun.

This February the New Mexican snowpack got annihilated by the sun. In fact, in New Mexico the sun is often associated with dwindling water supplies, disappearing range resources, and heat.  New Mexico’s state symbol, the Zia, is a sun.  It is a part of the state's cultural heritage.

With 278 sunny days in Albuquerque annually (that’s 76% of the year)1, New Mexicans should ask, “Where is all of that energy going?” The short answer is, mostly nowhere.

Both government and private industry are beginning to notice the bright side of New Mexico’s solar abundance.  And, with climate change heating things up, solar energy is a growing piece of New Mexico's energy future.  Below is a map put out by the State of New Mexico showing current renewable installations around the state.

Solar capacity in New Mexico is growing.  Here, we also see wind projects are on the rise.



New Mexico’s solar potential is significant.  Despite New Mexico being rated the tenth highest state in solar installations in 2014, the fast majority of New Mexico’s sunlight is still not tapped for energy use.2 However, an increasing number of solar arrays are becoming part of the state’s energy resources.
Solar Energy Industry Association Rates
New Mexico #10 in solar insulation growth.
The U. S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) has already shown New Mexico is the sixth largest supplier of energy in the nation (the majority of that being in oil and gas)3

 





The map below, produced by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, shows that even in January, New Mexico receives 5.5 – 6.5 kilowattHours/m^2/day of usable sunlight, which is 4 times the national average.4

Amounts of solar energy hitting the ground across the states in January.  New Mexico tops the charts (especially near Lordsberg, which has a city solar program).




References:

1. https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/New-Mexico/annual-days-of-sunshine.php (retrieved 2/29/2016)
2. http://www.seia.org/research-resources/2014-top-10-solar-states (retrieved 2/29/2016)
3. https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.cfm?sid=NM (retrieved 2/29/2016)

4. http://www.nrel.gov/gis/images/map_pv_us_january_dec2008.jpg (retrieved 2/29/2016)
5  http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/ECMD/documents/CleanEnergyMap2016.pdf (retrieved 2/29/2016)

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