How much do you really know about solar power? You can find out by taking this test found on the Guardian’s website. I found it pretty hard, and only scored 50%, but I know a lot more than I did before. At the end of the test, I was instructed to get in touch with my local government to learn more about solar incentives.



Thankfully, the test is attached to an article about New Mexico’s efforts to become the “clean energy state” so I know a little more already.



Although short on details at times (plus, the author seems to think Mesa del Sol is in Santa Fe), the article, “Green energy blooms in the desert,” is a nice overview of the steps Bill Richardson’s administration has taken to be a leader in alternative energy development:

…governor Bill Richardson has helped create at least 37 incentive programmes promoting green power.

From utility-bill discounts to a statewide renewable portfolio standard (RPS) for electricity, New Mexico’s 2m residents are given every opportunity to weave clean energy into their daily lives.

"The RPS drives consumption of renewables within the state,” Sarah Cottrell, Richardson’s energy policy adviser, said. “We have so much potential here for wind and solar that it far exceeds the demand.

A renewable portfolio standard refers to a market-based regulatory policy that requires energy supply companies to offer a certain percentage of their energy from renewable energy sources. New Mexico’s RPS law was passed in 2004 and requires electric utilities to provide increasing percentages of their energy supply from renewables. Apparently, there are now 25 states that have RPS requirements but the effort to set a national RPS is currently stalled in Congress.

Also mentioned in the article is Richardson’s role in spurring the Western Climate Initiative, which is a regional collaboration by state governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, New Mexico is fostering a burgeoning solar industry and already is home to Advent Solar Company and very shortly Schott Solar. But the author sounds a warning regarding this burgeoning industry as well:

Yet again it all comes down to Washington – and the dream may slip away if Congress does not extend the solar energy tax credit this year.

Both the solar and wind credits are mired in political squabbling. Analysts warn that Schott and other companies could scale back their US investments without the certainty of a long-term tax benefit.

As many of you may be following, the two parties are currently revisiting a long-standing environmental argument over whether or not to “drill, drill, drill,” as Bill Richardson has characterized the Republican solution to the energy crisis. At the same time Democrats lambasted Republicans last week for not extending the solar energy tax credit. Republicans counter that the country would never be suffering a fuel crisis of this magnitude in the first place had Democrats not blocked increased domestic oil production over 10 years ago.

Regardless, New Mexico is powering forward, and enjoys a friendly competition with other western states to be leader of the clean energy western pack:

Richardson’s aides have developed a “pretty entertaining rivalry with Governor [Arnold] Schwarzenegger’s people,” Cottrell said. “We believe no one’s done as much as fast as we have.”

But the real test of New Mexico’s leadership, the author says, will be its ability to export clean energy outside the state, or “Making the leap from New Mexico’s home-grown green movement to a thriving solar power export market.”

To this end, New Mexico was the first state to to form a renewable energy transmission authority (RETA), providing financing for new high-voltage lines and towers. The article includes an informative sidebar (in layman’s terms—to my delight) describing how renewable energy transmission over long distances might be made to work.