Although New Mexico is among several states that have set goals to fully decarbonize their power systems, most states have not yet conducted a detailed evaluation of how to achieve these targets. The original moonshot set an ambitious goal of sending humanity to the moon before the technology existed and without a known pathway to get there. Our 100% clean energy targets are similarly ambitious and the exact path is unknown.

New research by GridLab and a consortium of experts — including Blue Marble Analytics, Energy Futures Group, Evolved Energy Research, Moment Energy Insights, Telos Energy, and University of California San Diego — identifies different pathways that would reliably achieve a 100% clean power system. Using the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) as a case study, we analyzed multiple 100% clean energy portfolios to provide policymakers useful information that can help New Mexico and states across the West develop pathways to reliably meet these goals.

Our key findings span the importance of both mature and emerging clean energy technologies, regional coordination, and the evolving nature of resource adequacy risk with electrification and a new resource mix.