New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard has executed a long-term lease for the second-ever community solar project to be constructed on state lands. Affordable Solar submitted the highest bid at a public auction at the State Land Office building in Santa Fe on Wednesday, October 9. Affordable Solar’s project on nearly 80 acres of state land in Doña Ana County is expected to generate about 5 megawatts of solar energy, enough to power about 1,000 homes in the Las Cruces area. The project is expected to generate $2.7 million for New Mexico’s public schools over the lifetime of the lease.
In September, Commissioner Garcia Richard approved the first-ever community solar project on state trust lands on 80 acres in Valencia County. That project and the one approved in Doña Ana County last month are significant because they provide affordable, clean energy directly to local residents who otherwise may not be able to access energy from renewable installations on their homes. It also helps advance the state’s efforts to expand access to renewable energy for consumers statewide following the passage of the Community Solar Act in 2021. The State Land Office is planning to hold 9 more community solar auctions in the coming months.
“We have already made huge strides to expand renewable energy on state lands, and projects like this one are now bringing the benefits of renewable energy directly to New Mexico’s customers,” said Commissioner Garcia Richard. “New Mexico is well-positioned to be a leader in renewable energy, and state lands can provide the space to make renewable projects a reality. I’m proud that we are continuing to help New Mexico get closer to meeting its clean energy goals while creating new, long-term funding sources for our public schools and other institutions.”
Commissioner Garcia Richard created the first-ever Office of Renewable Energy within the Commercial Resources Division at the State Land Office with the goal of tripling renewable energy leasing and production on state trust lands. The Office has far exceeded initial expectations, as renewable energy on state lands has increased more than six-fold since its inception. When Commissioner Garcia Richard assumed office, there were 400 megawatts of renewable energy under lease on state lands. After today’s auction, there are now approximately 2,515 megawatts of wind and solar energy under lease. In addition, there are now 44 renewable energy leases at the state land office, up from 12 when Commissioner Garcia Richard took office in 2019.
Click here to view maps of solar and wind projects on state lands.
Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard has overseen the New Mexico State Land Office since 2019. In that time the agency has earned more than $10 billion for New Mexico public schools, hospitals, and universities. Over 13 million acres of state trust land are leased for a variety of uses, including ranching and farming, renewable energy, business development, mineral development, and outdoor recreation. The State Land Office has a dual mandate to use state trust land to financially support vital public institutions, while simultaneously working to protect the land for future generations.