Energy (Renewable Energy)

SB 308 allows New Mexico public utilities to petition for waivers from renewable energy requirements, enabling them to build, operate, or purchase carbon-based energy facilities (like natural gas plants) and energy from outside the state. It establishes a voluntary natural gas monitoring program, requires a carbon intensity standard for New Mexico natural gas production, and creates a tax credit for greenhouse gas-reducing natural gas technology. The bill directly affects utilities and natural gas producers by modifying compliance pathways for clean energy goals while introducing new reporting and tax incentives. It does not change existing renewable energy targets (e.g., 40% by 2025) but provides flexibility through waivers and new mechanisms to support emissions reductions.

HB 226 amends New Mexico's Rural Electric Cooperative Act and Renewable Energy Act to redefine "renewable energy resource" by adding "natural gas using combined cycle technology" to the list of qualifying sources. This change directly affects rural electric cooperatives and public utilities, allowing them to count electricity generated from this specific natural gas technology toward renewable energy requirements. The bill does not make natural gas renewable in general, but explicitly excludes other fossil fuels while including this combined cycle method under the definition. This is a technical definitional update, not a new policy requirement, and aligns with existing provisions that exclude most fossil fuels.

HB 113, the Renewable Energy Production Tax Act, imposes a 3.75% excise tax on electricity generated from renewable sources (solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, or qualifying biomass) at commercial facilities in New Mexico. It applies to electricity sold in the wholesale market, with tax calculated based on the monthly average wholesale price, and requires payment by the 25th of the following month. Revenue from this tax will be directed to the Severance Tax Permanent Fund, and the law exempts government entities, tribal lands, and small-scale personal use (under 500 kWh daily). The tax begins on January 1, 2027, affecting commercial renewable energy producers but not residential or exempt entities.