Renewable energy is right way forward
New Mexico has a distinct opportunity to show leadership in the U.S. clean energy transition by pairing our generation with new energy storage capacity.
We have some of the best overall irradiance for solar energy here in New Mexico. We have large, open areas with near-ideal wind speed and consistency to turn turbines. Energy storage is the missing piece of our efforts. Renewable energy is still variable. When the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing, the grid in New Mexico must turn to fossil fuels and brown power to meet demand.
Even when clean energy is being generated, it may not be close enough to the point of use to be transmitted efficiently. Energy storage extends the available window of clean energy and can be located closer to the local communities it will serve. Battery storage often discharges in peak demand periods to reduce our need for brown power. Storage serves those who already host their own rooftop solar panels and still rely on the grid as their “battery” when the sun isn’t shining.
The AES Rancho Viejo Solar Project, to be located south of Santa Fe, is one of these paired solar and battery energy storage projects. The project supports both a reliable power grid and New Mexico’s clean energy future. The solar array portion will produce enough clean energy to power more than 27,000 New Mexico homes. The battery storage component of Rancho Viejo site will act as a grid stabilizer when operational. Its 48 megawatt battery storage component is one of the safest ways to extend the duration of clean energy. Seventeen gigawatts of battery storage is safely operating today in the United States.
Storage projects mitigate risks to adjacent communities by following revised codes and the most up-todate standards for energy storage systems. So-called NIMBY, or not in my backyard, pushback on fossil fuel power was and is legitimate. Coal and gas power plants cause serious health problems for those living near them. “Peaker plants” are much worse. They generate significant localized pollution using fast-starting gas turbines designed to produce quick power during peak demand periods at a high environmental and social cost.
The pollution, health and economic burden for hosting old, brown energy projects has fallen on low-income communities who have lacked the political power and resources to keep these dangerous facilities out of their “backyard.”
The reverse is true with renewable energy. Projects like the AES proposal offer a triple-net positive. They serve demand with stored, clean energy. They reduce use of peaker plants and fossil fuels. They also reduce the health and safety burden on marginalized communities who are exposed to serious pollution.
Battery storage creates grid stability in our power system with its reserve capacity. It helps us avoid life-threatening blackout and brownout situations in a power grid increasingly strained by new demand.
A community like Eldorado, near the proposed solar site, will be located, can be proud of their part in supporting a substantial new clean energy project — and relieving their neighbors’ burden of hosting brown power in other parts of New Mexico.
Somos is a growing, Santa Fe-based energy solutions company focused on developing battery storage alongside longer-duration energy storage projects like green hydrogen to support a full energy transition. We want to see Santa Fe live up to its values in the energy transition.
All renewable energy projects need to move forward — safely and consistently. We do not have time to wait. Projects like the AES proposal need to be built now, in efficient proximity to the populations they will serve. Decarbonization and the energy transition of New Mexico requires it.
Travis Kellerman is a tech entrepreneur and energy policy developer who has lived in New Mexico for 25 years. He currently serves as the chief commercial officer for Somos Solar, a New Mexico renewable energy solutions developer.