New Mexico has been awarded $156 million in federal funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All competitive grant program. This funding aims to help low-income households in the state access renewable energy sources like solar power. The grant is part of a larger $7 billion program that will benefit communities across the country.
EPA Region 6 Deputy Regional Administrator Stacey Dwyer highlighted the potential impact of this funding, estimating that about a million households in low-income and disadvantaged communities nationwide will benefit from solar energy access. Additionally, the program is expected to create about 200,000 jobs in the United States.
The state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department will oversee the distribution of the funding, which comes from the Inflation Reduction Act. EMNRD Secretary Melanie Kenderdine emphasized New Mexico’s suitability for the Solar for All program, citing both the state’s abundant sunlight and its efforts to reduce emissions through policies like the solar market development tax credit.
Officials hope that Solar for All will reduce utility costs for low-income households, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and bring electricity to rural areas, including tribal lands. In New Mexico, the program is expected to help over 21,000 low-income households and add 77 megawatts of solar capacity to the electric grid. Collaboration with utilities and national labs will address cybersecurity concerns and ensure the success of the program in cutting emissions and combating climate change.
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Photo credit nmpoliticalreport.com
