NEWS

Access to safe and affordable energy matters to all New Mexicans. It impacts our economic well-being, health, and the health of our state into future generations. Several Community Conversations will be taking place across regions throughout NM from April through July. Following the regional conversations a statewide Town Hall will be held August 8th and 9th at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. Interested parties can find the most up-to-date information at www.NMenergyequity.org

Regional Community Conversations

• May 13: Las Vegas, 10am-2pm, NM Highlands University Register Here
• June 8: Silver City, 4pm-7pm, Flame Convention Center Register Here
• July 18: NM Pueblos, Tribes and Nations, Albuquerque (TBD)

Town Hall

• August 8-9: National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque

Participants will share their perspectives and experiences in their communities about evolving technologies, user choices and practices, regulatory uncertainty, potential investments, and threats to our energy grid affecting food and water security, clean air, housing affordability and a healthy and sustainable workforce. 

"A just energy transition and emerging renewable technologies are picking up speed rapidly. Many community stakeholders have not had an opportunity for deep, thoughtful, and coordinated discussion and priority setting about how our energy future is being shaped. While policy makers, industry, and interest groups have pieces of the puzzle, solutions need to be grounded in community wisdom and values in order to be equitable and accessible. The community conversations and town hall are an opportunity for the people most impacted to have a place at the table.” said Lilly Irvin-Vitela, from Community Connects Consulting.

"As policymakers, regulators, community advocates, and a range of other stakeholders continue to prioritize clean energy solutions, equity and environmental justice will play an increasingly prominent role. The inequities in setting public policy, decision-making and prioritizing government investments stem from lack of multi stakeholder and meaningful civic engagement that could have irreparable harm to historically marginalized communities if built without adequate transparency, inclusive public participation, access to information, opportunities and protection from environmental threats" said Theresa Cardenas, from Noble Renewables Group. 

Who is behind this? The New Mexico EPSCoR Smart Grid Center is a National Science Foundation funded research and workforce development project focused on supporting New Mexico's transition towards a future electricity grid that is decentralized, resilient, reliable, economical, and sustainable.

Since 2018, in partnership with New Mexico-based universities, national labs, and industry, they have developed research capacity and education programs to support our state's transition to a modern electric grid that is SMART (Sustainable, Modular, Adaptive, Resilient, Transactive).

“The NM SMART Grid Center is a novel, interdisciplinary research center that addresses pressing design, operational, data, and security challenges of next-generation electric power management, while cultivating a diverse next-generation STEM workforce in New Mexico,” said Selena Connealy, Co-Principal Investigator for the award and Associate Director of New Mexico EPSCoR.

Contact:
Theresa Cardenas
Noble Renewables Group
tc@theresacardenas.com
505-991-4487
NMenergyequity.org