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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 16 August 2019 16 August 2019

Article and photos by Mary Alice Murphy

img 5299Western New Mexico President Joseph Shepard welcomed those in attendance on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, at the announcement of the university's participation in the Community Solar Direct agreement with PNM to provide renewable energy to the university and other entities in the audience.

He introduced Ron Darnell, PNM Senior vice president of public policy and Sayuri Yamada, director of PNM advocacy.He also introduced local dignitaries, some of whom would speak later.

"We, here at Western New Mexico University, are about changing lives through education, of course, and also through cultural programs," Shepard said. "We have so many assets here, including the Gila Wilderness.

"Today we are embarking on a journey," he continued. "Our goal is for the university to be carbon-neutral or even less. We have the advantage of having a utility that wants to partner with us. I just want it to be sustainable. With this agreement, the university will receive 54 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. Our goal is 100 percent. The greatest thing we can all do is conservation. You may have noticed that we have planted a lot of trees—80 just on College Avenue. We have planted at least 500 and will probably plant another 500 to 1,000. Generations to come will enjoy the shade. In the past, we may have vilified utilities, but they are coming to terms of moving from coal to renewable sources. I'm really excited to see them working with the university, municipalities, counties and schools."

He introduced PNM Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Pat Vincent-Collawn.

img 5301"We helped Dr. Shepard on developing what was an ill-defined entrance to the university," Vincent-Collawn said. "You worked with us to move electrical lines to make a better entrance to the university. Partnerships are the way we can do it. Our vision is to make renewables a reality for the state. The new Deming High School is so energy-efficient, they got a rebate check for $23,000. Grant County has made the Conference Center one of the most energy efficient buildings in the county. Silver City started this progression by putting a solar array on the wastewater treatment plant. We are partners in the Community Solar Direct with universities, schools, municipalities, and tribal entities. Thanks to the Jicarilla Apache Nation, we are considering 500 acres for the 50-megawatt solar facility. This is a trailblazing program that others are asking us about. We want to be carbon-neutral or even carbon net-neutral. Our program is being looked at all over the country. This Community Solar Direct program, if approved by the Public Regulations Commission (PRC) will add 50 megawatts to our production. We will work hard to get to cleaner energy. We think we have a powerful proposal that we think is viable. Our day in the sun has arrived, so to speak. We will be powered by renewables."

Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner welcomed especially those who had come from out-of-town. "I welcome you to our wonderful community. It is important to continue to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Nine years ago, we put in solar at the Visitor Center, which provides its electricity. We also put in a large array that operates the wastewater treatment plant. As we speak, we are converting the Silver City Public Library to solar." He invited Alex Brown, town manager, to talk about the details.

"This all stems from the town adopting a sustainability plan in 2011," Brown said. "We are working with PNM. To date, 23 percent of our electricity comes from renewables. This program will get us to 53 percent, and with the library, we will be up to about 60 percent."

Ladner said that Shepard and the university were great partners with the town. "College Avenue was an equal partnership."

Shepard said: "It's happening in Deming, too. This doesn't happen in a vacuum. As the saying goes: 'If I run by myself, I can run fast. If I run with others, we can run far.'"

He introduced Deming Mayor Benny Jasso, who works for the Deming Schools, after a career as a firefighter.

img 5308From left, Deming Schools Superintendent Arsenio Romero, Grant County Commission Chairman Chris Ponce, and Deming Mayor Benny Jasso"I thank PNM for putting this together," Jasso said. "I thank Bruce (Ashburn, local PNM community representative). He's been relentless. We are wanting to make our quality of life better for all residents. We have several projects going on, although we switched the ones for the pumping station and the wastewater treatment plan, by retrofitting. Our city manager, Aaron Sera, figures we save about $60,000 annually. Through these programs, we are able to offset costs and we are moving toward 50 percent green energy. We are working on the lake, too. We thank PNM for assisting us."

Shepard introduced Grant County Commission Chairman Chris Ponce, who said his family came to the area generations ago.

"I thank Dr. Shepard and PNM," Ponce said. "Our County Manager, Charlene Webb, is here. She keeps us going in the right direction, and with five commissioners, it's sometimes us going in five different directions. This is part of the work she does. It is exciting for us to partner with PNM. Grant County has been working toward renewable. They did a great job at the Conference Center. We want to help lower the bills, especially because we're using taxpayer dollars. When the agreement goes online for the Community Solar Direct program, it will get us to about 69 percent renewables. The partnership with PNM shows how important it is to work together. We feel renewable energy is important. We support you, PNM, as you support us."

Shepard said Arsenio Romero is the Deming Schools superintendent. "He's really changing the Deming schools."

"I want to stress the importance of partnerships and relationships," Romero said. "First, with the city of Deming and with the county of Luna, and also with the village of Columbus. We also have international partners in Palomas, Mexico. Dr. Shepard has been a wonderful partner with our early college high school. When we work together amazing things can happen. We're so excited to be in partnership with PNM. The Deming public schools are committed to renewables. We want to allow students in the future to follow in our footsteps. We have our amazing new high school, our new intermediate schools and we're doing a remodel of Hofacket Middle High School.

"To date, the rebates we have received include $47,000 for Deming High School, $22,000 for the intermediate school and $20,000 for Hofacket," Romero said. "The dollars go back into the classrooms. We will be a model for public education for the state. We are the first and only school district in New Mexico to do this. We challenge the others to follow us."

Shepard said: "If you want to be part of all this at your homes, think conservation. Look at your insulation; look at the airflow out of your windows. PNM has programs to help you do this. It's why I and why the university and why cities, counties and tribal areas are doing this."

He opened it up for questions.

Bruce McKinney said he had been trying for years to put solar panels on College Street Plaza, but "I have 20 different meters, If it's possible for me to do, I would very much like to."

Shepard said the Community Solar Direct program is not for residential or commercial. "I suggest you and Bruce connect and see how it can expand."

Gale Simmons, who with her husband owns a "tiny" electrical installation company said: "In Silver City, we have installed .5 megawatts of solar. We installed the Visitor Center array, and we facilitate residential projects. What are you going to do about the workforce?" she asked Shepard. "Our two biggest challenges are finding qualified people to install solar panels and health insurance. We need educated, healthy employees. We need a decent training program here. Solar installation is the No. 1 biggest growing industry. It's supposed to grow 106 percent by next year. When are we going to get better employees?"

Shepard said, in the case of this program being announced, PNM will do all the subcontracting. "But the PRC still has to approve it. The university had tried to find land to do solar. But this program is doing it in the most efficient way. Then it will go to transmission. Let's invest here now and let it go into the grid."

He admitted that Western does not have a robust photo-voltaic training program. "San Juan Community College does. Maybe you can partner with them."

Vincent-Collawn said part of the Energy Transition Act is $40 million in training funds for communities. "The San Juan Community College has a Center of Excellent for renewables. So, they will have a talented workforce to replace those being laid off by the closure of the coal mines. They can take workers all over the state."

Shepard said insurance was out of his realm of knowledge.

Jack Crocker, WNMU provost and vice president of academic affairs, said the Applied Technology program has entered into a memorandum of understanding with San Juan Community College, which may alleviate concerns.

Romero said: "The Deming High School is building a career tech program, looking for engineers, electricians and solar. We are trying to fill the void as older workers retire."

The Silver City Daily Press asked when the Solar Direct program would go on online. He was told it is expected in 2021. Geoffrey Plant also asked about the energy and if it went into the grid. "Western buys through the grid?"

Shepard confirmed that the university buys through the grid. "We invest and we get an electrical credit, if you will."

Vincent-Collawn said customers are subsidizing renewable energy, so in general, more well-off people have solar panels. "But the project allows us to green the grid a lot faster. It gets green energy to everyone. It will save these guys more money than having solar panels on their roof, because we're doing it at scale. They are going to pay about 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour for this solar."

Shepard said the university had looked at putting up solar panels, but it was more expensive than fossil fuels. "Over a 15-to-20-year time period, we have tremendous savings starting at about year 8, and reducing from there. From our standpoint, I don't think electricity will get cheaper in the future, and so we'll have even greater savings, because this is based on today's rates."

He said they would stick around for more questions, as he tied up the session.