A national renewable electricity standard requiring utilities to increase their use of wind, solar and other renewable energy sources would generate 2,860 new jobs in New Mexico, lower electric and natural gas bills and slash global warming pollution, according to a new Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) analysis released today by Environment New Mexico.
UCS examined the impact of a proposed federal standard on the nation as a whole and on 20 states, including New Mexico.
“Turning on renewables in New Mexico would cut energy costs not only for individual families, but for small businesses and large energy users,” said Lauren Ketcham, Environment New Mexico Advocate. “At the same time, increasing our use of renewable energy would help clean up air pollution and make a down payment in the fight against global warming.”
The U.S. House of Representatives may vote on renewable electricity standard legislation as early as next week. The Senate has passed a standard three times over the last five years, only to be thwarted by House inaction. The House bill (HR 969), sponsored by Reps. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.), would require that utilities increase their use of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020.
For New Mexico, UCS’s analysis found that a 20 percent national renewable electricity standard would:
- Generate an annual average of more than 2,860 total renewable energy jobs by 2020 in manufacturing, construction and other industries.
- Be a $100 million financial boon for farmers, ranchers and rural landowners who produce biomass energy and/or lease their land to wind developers.
- Save New Mexicans $190 million on energy bills through 2020 by reducing demand for fossil fuels and lowering natural gas and electricity prices. By 2030 those cumulative savings would balloon to $390 million.
Nationally, UCS’s analysis found that a 20 percent national renewable electricity standard would:
- Generate an annual average of more than 185,000 total renewable energy jobs nationally by 2020 in manufacturing, construction and other industries.
- Be a $25.6 billion financial boon for farmers, ranchers and rural landowners who produce biomass energy and/or lease their land to wind developers.
- Save consumers $10.5 billion on energy bills through 2020 by reducing demand for fossil fuels and lowering natural gas and electricity prices. By 2030 those cumulative savings would balloon to $31.8 billion.
- Slash global warming pollution by 223 million metric tons a year, the equivalent of taking 36.4 million cars off the road.
For individual state reports and UCS’s projection of the benefits of a national standard, go to www.ucsusa.org.
