Rebuild New Mexico’s Economy With Renewable Energy

December 2, 2008

By Molly Brook

There is no energy shortage in America. In fact, we are surrounded by energy – the heat of the sun, the movement of the wind and waves, and the energy contained in trees and crops. Currently, the majority of these valuable energy resources remain untapped. Despite our economy starting to crumble and global warming transforming our landscape, we now have a unique opportunity to change the status quo with a new president-elect who is committed to clean energy sources.

In order to fix our broken economy and avoid the worst effects of global warming, we must break our dependence on fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy sources. In the coming months, it is essential that our newly elected federal and state officials take this opportunity to pave the way to a new energy future for New Mexico and our nation.

One of the most efficient ways to revitalize our economy, while reducing global warming pollution, is to invest in a renewable energy infrastructure. In fact, clean, renewable energy like wind and solar is one of the bright spots in an otherwise gloomy economic picture. Earlier this year, the Center for American Progress calculated that an investment of $100 billion in a green infrastructure would create more than 2 million jobs, four times as many as investing the same money in the oil industry.

In New Mexico alone, investment in renewable energy is expected to generate over 13,700 new jobs. These “green collar jobs” would generate employment in a multitude of fields from construction and manufacturing to marketing and engineering.

Current investments in a renewable energy infrastructure are making these technologies more affordable. For example, cost-effective solar power has long been a dream, but it is now becoming a reality as prices come down and solar panel production ramps up. Currently, manufacturers are gearing up their capacity to produce thousands of megawatts of solar devices per year within the next few years.

With this advancement in efficiency, the potential to capture solar energy is transforming the renewable energy field. For example, the space available on America’s rooftops right now could host enough solar panels to provide about 70 percent of our current electricity needs. With solar panel costs decreasing, installing and maintaining roof-top solar panels has become a reality.

Furthermore, with 310 sunny days on average per year, New Mexico has a golden opportunity to bolster our economy and lead the nation in solar energy production. The solar energy potential in the southwest is so great, that concentrating solar power on just 9 percent of the land area in a state like Nevada could produce enough electricity to power the entire United States.

In order to push New Mexico to the forefront of the renewable energy sector, our state and federal leaders, like President-Elect Barack Obama, must follow through with their promises to invest in a renewable energy infrastructure, and commit to pursuing a clean new energy future for our country. By transitioning to renewable energy sources, New Mexicans will avoid reliance on fossil fuels, slash global warming pollution, improve air quality, and create a vigorous economy for the 21st century.

Brook is an associate working with Environment New Mexico, a statewide environmental advocacy organization dedicated to protecting New Mexico’s air, water and open space. Rebuild New Mexico’s Economy With Renewable Energy

By Molly Brook

There is no energy shortage in America. In fact, we are surrounded by energy – the heat of the sun, the movement of the wind and waves, and the energy contained in trees and crops. Currently, the majority of these valuable energy resources remain untapped. Despite our economy starting to crumble and global warming transforming our landscape, we now have a unique opportunity to change the status quo with a new president-elect who is committed to clean energy sources.

In order to fix our broken economy and avoid the worst effects of global warming, we must break our dependence on fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy sources. In the coming months, it is essential that our newly elected federal and state officials take this opportunity to pave the way to a new energy future for New Mexico and our nation.

One of the most efficient ways to revitalize our economy, while reducing global warming pollution, is to invest in a renewable energy infrastructure. In fact, clean, renewable energy like wind and solar is one of the bright spots in an otherwise gloomy economic picture. Earlier this year, the Center for American Progress calculated that an investment of $100 billion in a green infrastructure would create more than 2 million jobs, four times as many as investing the same money in the oil industry.

In New Mexico alone, investment in renewable energy is expected to generate over 13,700 new jobs. These “green collar jobs” would generate employment in a multitude of fields from construction and manufacturing to marketing and engineering.

Current investments in a renewable energy infrastructure are making these technologies more affordable. For example, cost-effective solar power has long been a dream, but it is now becoming a reality as prices come down and solar panel production ramps up. Currently, manufacturers are gearing up their capacity to produce thousands of megawatts of solar devices per year within the next few years.

With this advancement in efficiency, the potential to capture solar energy is transforming the renewable energy field. For example, the space available on America’s rooftops right now could host enough solar panels to provide about 70 percent of our current electricity needs. With solar panel costs decreasing, installing and maintaining roof-top solar panels has become a reality.

Furthermore, with 310 sunny days on average per year, New Mexico has a golden opportunity to bolster our economy and lead the nation in solar energy production. The solar energy potential in the southwest is so great, that concentrating solar power on just 9 percent of the land area in a state like Nevada could produce enough electricity to power the entire United States.

In order to push New Mexico to the forefront of the renewable energy sector, our state and federal leaders, like President-Elect Barack Obama, must follow through with their promises to invest in a renewable energy infrastructure, and commit to pursuing a clean new energy future for our country. By transitioning to renewable energy sources, New Mexicans will avoid reliance on fossil fuels, slash global warming pollution, improve air quality, and create a vigorous economy for the 21st century.

Brook is an associate working with Environment New Mexico, a statewide environmental advocacy organization dedicated to protecting New Mexico’s air, water and open space. www.EnvironmentNewMexico.org.
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