Ben the Luz

Another chapter of my imaginary book of New Mexico politics will be entitled: Truth Hurts - Epecially Those Who Speak It. Here's a case study.

Ben Luce, physicist, solar advocate and former director of the New Mexico Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy worked his ass off lobbying for clean energy bills during the 48th New Mexico State Legislative session. He is heartbreakingly discouraged and has now said so. He says he'll start a group called Break the Grip to work toward exposing corporate power over the political process. Break the Grip is used to promote awareness of the dangerous undertow in some tidal commuities back east. Good metaphor for what goes on beneath the surface in our high desert politics. (Oh God, I sound like Monahan.)

The Albuquerque Journal story makes Luce's criticism all about the Governor. Sounds to me like he's discouraged about more than that, but it's all about the Governor these days. So he must be wrong! He is ranting! Perfect.

In recent weeks, Luce said, he has lost faith in the "ethical credibility" of Richardson's administration and the state Legislature.

What took so long?

I think the governor's clean energy platform is weak, and it's weak because basically he was not able to break free of corporate influence here locally, and that's too bad," Luce said he reached this conclusion as he reviewed his experience this past legislative session. The Governor's Office was not receptive to his organization's ideas and often proved hostile, he said. "It's become clear to me that corporations such as electric utilities are basically running the state," Luce said. "They have a Wild West belligerence to regulations."

What's that I see in the darkness? The truth? Go put that out, it's wasting electricity.

Comments

[Dionysus]

Very clever with ‘the light’ title but you don’t ‘Break the Grip,’ dude, you ‘grip it and rip it,’ like Long John Daly (or Otero Mesa….)
So what are you going to call your insiders instead of alligators, Coco–joe? Crocodiles? Big dogs? Satyrs? Nymphs?

[Gregory Green]

1/13/06
The program is one of the first in the country to be based on the actual performance of PV systems, rather than just offering incentives for their installation. Ben Luce, chair of New Mexico's Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (CCAE) said PNM's program "leads the way for incentives that are based on actual production of solar energy so that high quality systems are encouraged." PNM is also putting together a proposal for a solar buyback program for its customers with PV systems over 10 kW, PNM spokesman Jeff Buell told Prospects.

3/5/07
For Immediate Release:
3/5/2007

Contact:
Jeanne Bassett, 505-254-4819
Anna Aurilio, 202-546-9707 x315
Rob Sargent, 617-747-4317
New Mexico

New Mexico Energy Standard Renewed, Doubled
Legislation to double New Mexico's renewable energy was signed by Governor Richardson today. The Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard, SB418, was sponsored by Senator Michael Sanchez (D-Belen).

SB418 will increase New Mexico’s current renewable energy standard from 10% by 2011 to 20% by the year 2020 and the bill also sets the first in New Mexico renewable energy standard for all rural electric cooperatives. Under this legislation, all electric cooperatives would be required to get 10% of their electricity from renewables by 2020. The bill was supported by renewable energy advocates, conservationists, farmers, and utility companies.

"Today, Governor Richardson signs into law a bill that will become a cornerstone for New Mexico’s New Energy Economy,” said Lauren Ketcham, Environmental Advocate with Environment New Mexico. “Doubling our use of renewable energy to 20% by 2020 will protect our air, cut global warming pollution, and increase our energy security.”

New Mexico’s current investment in renewable energy has been an enormous success. Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) is expected to meet the state’s current RPS of 10% several years ahead of schedule.

“Not only will this double the renewable energy developed it will also play a critical role in launching large scale solar power generation in the United States,” said Ben Luce, Policy Director of the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, CCAE. “This will provide for the first time a serious alternative to coal and nuclear power.”

The Governor also signed the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority, HB188, by Jose Campos (D-Santa Rosa). HB188 requires that lines contracted by the Authority have at least 30% of their energy come from renewable energy sources.

“Although some states have similar transmission planning entities our Renewable Energy Transmission Authority makes New Mexico the first state to have a strong requirement for renewable energy,” said Luce. “This will require the development of huge amounts of renewable energy above the requirement of the new RPS.”

Investments in wind and other renewable energy technologies help generate tremendous new economic development opportunities in rural and agricultural areas of the country, enabling farmers, ranchers and landowners to grow a reliable new "cash crop" that doesn't need water.

“Support for clean energy continues to grow," said Ketcham. "New Mexican’s realize that renewable energy won’t just help protect our environment but will be a driver for New Mexico’s economic future."

-30-

Journal
http://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/562320nm05-13-07.htm

Albuquerque Journal

Sunday, May 13, 2007

N.M., Calif., Have a Clean Fight

By Trip Jennings: Copyright © 2007 Albuquerque Journal; Journal Capitol Bureau

SANTA FE— Touting New Mexico’s achievements to a crowd in San Diego last month, Gov. Bill Richardson dethroned California as the nation’s leading “clean energy” state.
“We’ve surpassed you here in California,” New Mexico’s Democratic governor and presidential hopeful told delegates to the California Democratic Party convention.
Richardson’s campaign since has refused to define “clean energy” state and back up the assertion. The governor’s office in Santa Fe responded later that Richardson meant “clean energy” state in its broadest sense: the array of initiatives and laws adopted in New Mexico to address greenhouse gas emissions and to wean New Mexico off fossil fuels.
Richardson has repeatedly trumpeted New Mexico as leading the nation in addressing climate change and reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil. He reminds listeners that a fifth of all energy sold in New Mexico by 2020 must come from wind and solar power and points to state goals for curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
Experts interviewed by the Journal said it’s too difficult to declare a winner among all the states addressing global climate change and energy independence. But if they had to guess, California, and not New Mexico, is the state to beat.
Take, for instance, the two states’ requirements for power that comes from solar, wind, geothermal and similar sources, known as renewables: California mandates 20 percent of all energy come from renewables by 2010 with a goal of 33 percent by 2020. New Mexico’s target is 20 percent by 2020.
California also has set stiffer greenhouse gas reduction goals than New Mexico, mandating that 2010 emissions equal their level in 2000 and by 2020 equal 1990 levels, according to Pew Center on Global Climate Change.
New Mexico’s goal is to curb emissions to 2000 levels by 2012 and 10 percent below that by 2020, the governor’s office says.
Add California’s size— more than 37 million people— to its toughest-in-the-nation vehicle emission standards, ambitious greenhouse gas emission targets and renewable energy goals, and it is hard to match.
“I know they’re the usual suspect. But they just keep outdoing themselves,” Julia Bovey of the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group, said of California’s efforts to address climate change and energy dependence concerns. “They have a governor who is all over it,” she said, referring to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Richardson’s campaign released a statement reiterating its belief that New Mexico leads California and the rest of the nation.
“New Mexico, under Governor Richardson’s leadership, has done more, faster than any other state, including California,” campaign spokesman Pahl Shipley said in a statement. “The governor plans to keep the pace up moving forward, and will continue that approach on a national basis as president.” New Mexico has certainly bolstered its position as a “clean energy” state to the point that legislation passed this year “puts us up in the top five,” said Ben Luce of the New Mexico Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, an alliance of nonprofit consumer, religious and environmental groups.
Like other states, New Mexico is trying to encourage more environmentally friendly behavior.
It has set aside $5 million a year for solar power tax credits and offers a one-time exemption to the state’s 3 percent motor vehicles excise tax for people who buy certain types of hybrid vehicles.
New Mexico also is teaming up with other states— California, Arizona, Washington and Oregon— to develop a regional target to lower greenhouse gases.
California, meanwhile, is working hard to stay out in front.
Already, power in California that comes from renewables like wind and solar is ahead of where New Mexico is. According to a report by the California’s utility regulators, 11.8 percent, 17.7 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively, of the energy the three big utilities were selling in 2005 came from renewable sources. That compares to roughly 6 percent of energy sold in New Mexico, Public Service Company of New Mexico and El Paso Electric representatives said.
California’s tough motor vehicle emission standard for new cars also is a model for states across the nation.
Later this year, New Mexico is scheduled to adopt California’s standard to require new vehicles sold beginning in the 2016 model year to curb carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent, said Jim Norton, director of the state Environment Department’s environmental protection division.

All content copyright © ABQJournal.com and Albuquerque Journal and may not be republished without permission.

May. 8th, 2007
Ben Luce To Speak In Santa Fe and Las Cruces

The SFI Public Lecture Series presents:“New Mexico’s Renewable Energy Future” by Ben Luce at the James A. Little Theater, on the campus of the New Mexico School for the Deaf, 1060 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe, Wednesday, May 9, 2007, 7:30 p.m.

Luce, a physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Director of the New Mexico Coalition For Clean And Affordable Energy, will also speak at the Southwest Environmental Center in Las Cruces, Friday, May 11th at 7 P.M. The topic will be “New Mexico's Clean Energy Policies and how to take advantage of the New Incentives.” The lecture will be part of the Speakers Series in conjunction with the South West Energy Alliance Energy Fair. The Energy Fair will be held on the Downtown Mall, Saturday, May 12th - 10 to 5. Ben Luce has been instrumental in the writing of laws and regulations that are the foundation of New Mexico’s transition to a clean energy economy. He is an expert on new energy technologies and the policies that promote them.

Friday, August 27, 2004

Regardless of Size, Solar Make Sense

By Ben Luce
N.M. Solar Energy Association
New Mexico's future, including the very survival of her rivers, grasslands, and forests, hinges largely on whether clean energy sources can be developed rapidly enough to halt the effects of global warming.
In a recent commentary, Alan Zelicoff expressed the view that Gov. Bill Richardson shouldn't subsidize utility-scale solar power generation. Instead the governor should encourage residential solar electricity by making it possible for customers to sell power on the grid at spot-market prices.
In reality both utility-scale and residential scale solar power deserve to be promoted. Both are viable and beneficial, and both have unique roles to play in reducing air pollution and emissions of carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming.
Utility-scale solar, one version of which uses mirrors to concentrate solar heat to make steam, has a proven track record in California. According to Department of Energy projections, it would reach competitive costs if developed to the same scale as today's wind industry (www.solarpaces.org/csp--docs.htm).
This clean power source could supply much of the power needs of industry and urban centers. Residential scale solar electricity, which uses photovoltaic or "PV" modules, could do the same for homes.
So it's a mistake to cast these technologies as opposing— they're actually complementary, and both need strong support to become significant power sources.
Allowing customers to sell solar power back to the utility at retail rates is not a strong enough incentive. Our state allows this (our so-called "net-metering" law) and yet we still have only a handful of grid-tied PV systems installed.
This is because PV systems do not— yet!— yield a positive net return with respect to conventional grid power.
Other states (e.g. California) and countries (e.g. Germany and Japan) currently offer significant rebates to customers to overcome this barrier, and these measures are working very well to grow the industry and lower costs.
The Richardson administration has been publicly supportive of developing similar programs for our state.
Third, to my knowledge the governor has not proposed exorbitant taxpayer subsidies for utility-scale solar power. He has approved a relatively small amount of state funding to determine the best possible plan for a utility-scale solar plant in New Mexico as part of a larger effort by western states to get this technology going.
It's money well spent in my opinion, and if things go well, this power will be paid for as just another (but cleaner!) source of electricity on the grid.
It's true that it may cost a little more initially, but the impact on rates will be minimum at best (less than 2 percent), and the development of these sources over the long run will likely save rate payers billions of dollars— not to mention the environment— as environmental concerns and regulations increase.
Ben Luce is president of the New Mexico Solar Energy Association (www.NMSEA.org) and policy director of the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (www.CFCAE.org).

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Energy Board Nears Reality

By Tania Soussan
Journal Staff Writer
A bill that would create a powerful new appointed board that could condemn land and issue bonds to build electricity transmission lines is just a step or two away from the governor's desk.
Both the House and Senate have approved versions of the Renewable Energy Transmission Authority bill by broad margins. Gov. Bill Richardson wants the new quasi-governmental agency to help market New Mexico's wind power to California and other states.
"It creates for the first time a real export market for renewable energy from New Mexico and that's a pretty unprecedented step," Ben Luce, chairman of the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy, said Tuesday.
The authority would have the power of eminent domain to acquire property for transmission lines. It also could seek private companies to build the lines or— with the Legislature's approval— could issue bonds to help pay for construction of the projects itself.
An earlier task force convened by Richardson contemplated two possible transmission lines to carry power from New Mexico's windy eastern plains— one going through southern Arizona into California and another going through Albuquerque to the Four Corners where it could tie into new interstate lines.
Transmission lines developed by the authority would have to carry at least 30 percent renewable energy. Because sources like wind generate electricity intermittently, the new transmission lines would not be a boon to conventional power plants that can't ramp up and down quickly, Luce said.
Other states have created similar entities in recent years and some are focused on moving wind power but none have a renewable content requirement, said Ned Farquhar, adviser to Richardson on energy issues.
North Dakota, Kansas and Wyoming each have a transmission authority.
New Mexico needs an authority to be a strong player in the interstate electricity market, Farquhar said, adding that he sees it playing a mostly leadership role rather than being a financing agency.
"It's very important to assume some leadership and be able to get into those markets," he said. California, for example, will require that 20 percent of its electricity come from renewables by 2010.
The authority proposal is backed by environmental groups and utilities. But opponents have said the government should not finance transmission lines and have raised concerns about the authority's power.
"This creates an entire new branch of government ... five of the most powerful people in the state of New Mexico," Rep. Dan Foley, R-Roswell, said during House debate. "There's no accountability."
Supporters countered that the authority would spur development of alternative energy sources, which would be key to reducing dependence on oil and natural gas.
"You can't create alternatives unless you have structure and investment," said Rep. Hector Balderas, D-Wagon Mound.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

[Gregory Green]

Clean Energy Network Members:

The 2007 Legislative Session has ended with FANTASTIC results!
The Clean Energy Age has been launched!

At least THIRTEEN major clean energy bills passed, plus one and possibly two memorials,
offering a wide range of new incentives and programs for solar, wind, biomass power, biofuels, energy efficiency,
and low-income energy policies. Many of these policies represent years of work by various advocates. Some
were new policies worked out in the heat of the session. Many proposals also failed (see the web site for
a complete list of everything proposed).

- Major new initiatives that will now be launched include green building, large-scale solar, and biofuels.
- Utility efficiency programs will be enhanced
- Distributed solar will be greatly enhanced.
- Major development of wind and solar for export will be initiated.
- Clean Energy Manufacturing will be strongly encouraged.
- Mercury emission control is enhanced.

Although some things for efficiency and low-income issues also passed, it would have been nice to see an efficient appliance incentive and other efficiency policies, and also some new policies for low-income. These and other policies that did not pass will continue to be targets for future sessions.

And, the Desert Rock and uranium mining bills are dead!

Congratulations and thanks to the many, many dedicated people and groups who made all of these things happen, including:
- Our dedicated sponsors and allies in the Legislature;
- Governor Richardson and his staff: LITTLE OF THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE STRONG LEADERSHIP OF GOVERNOR RICHARDSON FOR CLEAN ENERGY IN NEW MEXICO.
- All the people in the Network who contacted their representatives; YOU!
- All the advocates in the CCAE and CCAE member groups:
- The folks from all our allies:
- Dooda Desert Rock,
- Dine Cares,
- Sage Council,
- Conservation Voters New Mexico,
- San Juan Citizens Alliance,
- Sierra Club,
- New Energy Economy,
- Interfaith Alliance for Environmental Stewardship,
- Climate Change Action Project,
- League of Young Voters,
- Mesa Del Sol
- Other folks at the Roundhouse who kicked in support along way,
and others left off this quick listing.

The new policies are described below (keep in mind that not everything has been signed by the Governor yet).
See the web site for bill text: http://www.nmccae.org/Legislature_07/index.htm.

Sincerely,
Ben Luce

[Alternative Comment]

In his comment, Gregory Green includes a post from my blog: “Ben Luce has been instrumental in the writing of laws and regulations that are the foundation of New Mexico’s transition to a clean energy economy. He is an expert on new energy technologies and the policies that promote them.”
While I am encouraged by some clean energy policy in the State, here in Southern New Mexico, energy is under the firm control of the oil and gas industry, nuclear reprocessing and waste interests, El Paso Electric Corporation of Texas and Tri State Generation and Transmission of Denver. The state of clean energy in Southern New Mexico makes a mockery of Governor Richardson’s statements on the campaign trail. Breaking the grip of corporate control of energy is a prerequisite to clean energy progress in Southern New Mexico.

[Ben Luce]

As can be seen above, Gregory Green, the lobbyist with my former group, and now a Richardson Appointee, has been posting old email broadcasts I sent out after the 2007 New Mexico session, attempting to discredit my recent call for repeal of several of the energy bills passed in that session.

Please note, however, that my call comes after New Mexico's major utility (PNM) put a major nuclear industry player (Jim Ferland) in charge of new generation development, and during the same week that Governor Bill Richardson essentially capitulated to nuclear. This made the Richardson Administration's attempt to gut the renewable energy provisions of the Transmission Authority, which took place behind the scenes (but which is visible in the first version of the bill introduced), and also the long delay until the next increase in the renewable energy standard (2015), much more serious. My trust in the intent of both the Administration and PNM was destroyed, and the renewables law has no real teeth as a hedge until 2015.

Secondly, I had not yet decided to make the full truth of what happened behind the scenes public. I was still in the service of my old organization, and still bound at that time to keep what actually happened private. In retrospect, I apologize for that, and I now feel that we should have been wiling to speak truth to power, instead of trying to maintain our access to Richardson via politically connected people like Mr. Green.
Insider advocacy is only effective if one's politician is sincere and really stands for what you hope they do. Otherwise, its a false path that leads to false sense of empowerment and inevitable disappointment.