The State Land Office recently hosted its first community solar auction, and is planning around a dozen more in the fall of 2024. These projects will provide direct renewable energy access to individuals and families who may not otherwise be able to afford installing solar panels on their own home.

Large-scale renewable energy projects require extensive transmission lines, and often must pass through state trust lands. Commissioner Garcia Richard implemented the Cultural Properties Protection Rule in December 2022 to improve tribal consultation and require cultural surveys before ground disturbing activities can occur on state trust lands. This rule has helped identify portions of projects that may threaten sensitive cultural resources, and has provided a process for the State Land Office and renewable energy companies to find alternate transmission routes through state trust lands that still satisfy a project’s goals when necessary.

Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard set a goal for tripling the amount of renewable energy under lease on state trust lands when she established the Office of Renewable Energy (ORE) at the State Land Office in 2019. The ORE staff has already far surpassed that initial goal, increasing the renewable energy output on state trust lands six-fold, from 400 megawatts under lease in 2019 to 2,510 megawatts under lease today. The two most recent wind projects approved on state trust lands will bring in $146 million for New Mexico’s public schools.