Green Economy Overview

The Green Economy: Pure. Energy. Innovation.


New Mexico is rapidly becoming a global leader in pure energy innovation. Abundant renewable energy resources, world-class clean technology research and manufacturing, attractive incentives, low business costs, and visionary state, federal and local government leadership are drawing international attention to the Land of Enchantment.

To formulate a cohesive plan to develop and capitalize on these varied resources, Governor Bill Richardson created the Green Jobs Cabinet. This Cabinet was tasked with providing an overview of New Mexico’s green economy and a statewide strategic plan for clean technology economic development. The Green Economy is a broad term that covers everything from renewable energy to recycling to green building. New Mexico is focused on identifying and developing assets (both natural and economic) of the Green Economy, as well as creating and sustaining green jobs.

The New Mexico Economic Development Department released the final report in September 2009, outlining five strategies to grow New Mexico’s green economy and offered recommendations to achieve these goals.

GOAL #1: Be the Leader in Renewable Energy Export: Establish New Mexico as the leading exporter of renewable energy and renewable energy products, in the areas of both electricity and biofuels.

SOLUTION: Incentivize/stimulate renewable energy growth in electricity and biofuels;

  • Get our renewable energy to market;
  • Align incentives for utilities with the state economic development goals;
  • Provide a supportive regulatory environment;
  • Market and promote the state’s assets, accomplishments and vision.

GOAL #2: Be the Center of the North American Solar Industry: Make New Mexico the “Solar Valley” of the United States: New Mexico must harness its potential to develop a vertically integrated solar economy from R&D and demonstration to commercialization, startup businesses, manufacturing, and installation. The entire value chain resides in New Mexico.

SOLUTION: Stimulate the rapid growth of solar energy; incentivize solar manufacturing.

GOAL #3: Lead the Nation in Green Grid Innovation: Leverage technology from our national laboratories and universities to create an entrepreneurial engine of new high tech, clean tech businesses. Make the “green grid” a top priority.

SOLUTION: Promote commercialization of new clean technologies; put focus on the Green Grid to leverage limited resources.

GOAL #4: Be a Center of Excellence for Green Building and Energy Efficiency: Remain a leader in green building and develop a sustainable energy efficiency renovation industry with a supporting cluster of green building product manufacturers.

SOLUTION: Develop a building energy efficiency renovation sector;

  • Maintain leadership in new construction of green buildings;
  • Grow our cluster of green building product manufacturers.

GOAL #5: Have a Highly Skilled and Ready-to-Work Workforce: Matching industry growth projections with a highly skilled workforce is paramount to the success of New Mexico’s green economy.

SOLUTION: Create an industry-driven green workforce development sector strategy aligned with these economic development goals;

  • Develop green economy data and career framework;
  • Expand green job training programs across the state;
  • Provide customized just-in-time training solutions for growing green businesses.

CONCLUSIONS
Although the green economy is projected to grow nationwide, there is intense competition between states for investment dollars, especially given recent job losses created by the global recession. Despite our natural advantages, New Mexico must continue to aggressively compete for investment if it wants to create clean industry clusters and capture its share of economic development from clean energy and clean technology.
 
The Work of the Green Jobs Cabinet

Executive Order 2009-002 Establishing the Green Jobs Cabinet (PDF, 211KB)
Green Jobs Cabinet Report (PDF, 3.6MB) and Appendices (PDF, 2.2MB)
Pure.Energy.Innovation Brochure: (PDF, 2.1MB)
Executive Order 2010-001 Directing the work of the Green Jobs Cabinet: (PDF, 46KB)

Executive Order 2010-001 Action Items

III 1 a Green Grid (Word, 5.7MB)
III 1 b Research Applications Center (Word, 549KB)
III 1 c Clean Tech Commercialization: (PDF, 3.7MB)
III 1 d The competitiveness report is available to New Mexico residents. Please contact Brendan.Miller@state.nm.us for a copy.

III 2 a PACE (PDF, 752KB)
III 2 b Geothermal (PDF, 1.5MB)
III 2 c PRC (Word, 314KB)

III 3 a Permitting Guide: (PDF, 500KB)

III 4 a Tribal Outreach (Word, 214KB)

III 5 a Biofuels: (PDF, 1.6MB)
III 5 b Sustainable Agriculture: (PDF, 2.5MB)

III 6 a Green Industry Council – Coming soon
III 6 b Entrepreneurship – Coming soon


Additional resources

The state’s Pure.Energy.Innovation brochure provides an overview of why clean tech companies are choosing to locate in New Mexico. For more information, please visit the New Mexico Partnership, the state’s recruiting organization.

  • A report on opportunities to grow New Mexico’s technology economy, Growing New Mexico’s Clean Tech Economy: Strategies to Strengthen Technology Commercialization, was completed in October 2010. This “roadmap” report reflects input from expert advisors from our state’s research institutions, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, economic developers and the public.
  • Click here to see the Green Jobs Cabinet Report Appendices.
  • The Green Jobs Cabinet has prepared a Green Business Permitting Guide to make it easier for green businesses to discover and navigate applicable incentives and permitting requirements. This guide is relevant to clean tech manufacturers, solar, wind and geothermal developers, biofuel companies and more and includes guidelines, links and contact information.
  • Click here to download this overview of incentives for clean energy and green businesses in New Mexico.
  • Local New Mexico communities have opportunities to grow their green economies. This presentation provides an overview of some of those opportunities.
  • New Mexico is moving aggressively to develop its advanced biofuels research base and industry, particularly in the areas of algae and dryland farmed feedstocks. Please read Toward A New Mexico State Plan for Biofuels Leadership for more information.
  • The state sustainable agriculture report and plan, developed by the Department of Agriculture for the Green Jobs Cabinet, is available here.

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