Positive Energy Solar CEO Regina Wheeler testimony before the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission urging them to consider more renewable energy for New Mexico.

1. Why and How Solar for NM
Regina Wheeler, CEO Positive Energy Solar
For Environment New Mexico
January 2015

2. Today’s Reality

3. Economic Impact of Fossil Fuels-Nuclear
Capital Expenditures per Million BTUs
$-
$0.50
$1.00
$1.50
$2.00
$2.50
$3.00
$3.50
$4.00
1974 1985 1995 2005 2014
Oil and NG (fuel)
Nuclear Pwr Plant
Source: Oil & Nuclear – The Poverty of Power by Barry Commoner,

4. Economic Impact of Fossil Fuel-Nuclear
Our Global Investments Show…

5. Risk: Social-Environmental Impact
Source: Gasland II
Gas Hydraulic Fracking

6. Risk: Methane Cloud Over Four Corners
Oct. 9, 2014: One small “hot spot” in the U.S. Southwest is responsible for
producing the largest concentration of the greenhouse gas methane seen over the
US – according to new study of satellite data by scientists at NASA and U of
Michigan.
"The results are indicative that emissions from established fossil fuel harvesting
techniques are greater than inventoried," Kort said. "There's been so much
attention on high-volume hydraulic fracturing, but we need to consider the industry
as a whole."

7. Risks: Social-Environmental Impact
Fukushima Daichi
Nuclear Power
Meltdown

8. Risk: Social-Environmental Impact
West Virginia Coal-Chemical Spill

9. The Tipping Point is Behind Us

10. Tipping Point 2014
1. Supreme Court upholds EPA regulations that impose
additional limits on emission – May 2014
2. US Announces reduction of carbon emissions 30%
below 2005 levels by 2030
3. Barclay’s downgrades quality of bonds investing in
utilities – May 2014
4. Rockefeller Fund and many divest
5. Cities, DOE, Universities declare net carbon zero goal
6. Grid Parity cost of renewables in 14 states

11. PV Roadmap
didn’t reflect
rising energy
costs.
Market
penetration
years ahead
of this
projection

12. The US Solar Price Trends
http://www.seia.org/sites/default/files/YIR%202013%20SMI%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

15. PNM’s View of Future

16. Our Future

17. California Study 100% Renewables
http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/susenergy2030.html

18. Future of Renewables and PV in NM
Source: EIA, The Solutions Project
-
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
Electricity ICE to EV Natural Gas
to Electricity
MegaWatts
New Mexico Capacity
in 2035 with PV
Today's Capacity
Total Capacity Required
PV required
PV Installed

19. Solar Industry in New Mexico end 2013
• Approximately 93 solar companies, employing
1,900 people in 2013
• In 2013, New Mexico installed 45 MW of solar
electric capacity, ranking 13th nationally.
• 319 MW of solar energy installed by end 2013,
ranks NM 10th in the country in installed solar
capacity.
• In 2013, $131 million was invested in New
Mexico to install solar for home, business and utility
use. This is a 61% increase over the previous year,
and was greater in 2014.
Source: NMSEA

20. Job Creation by Energy Technology
Source: Thought Leadership Series #4 Copenhagen Climate Council
Technology Job Years per GWh
Solar PV 0.91
Energy Efficiency 0.38
Solar Thermal 0.27
Geothermal 0.25
Biomass 0.22
Carbon Capture 0.18
Wind 0.17
Nuclear 0.15
Coal 0.11
Natural Gas 0.11

23. Source: Marco Vangelisti, http://transitionus.org/event/essential-knowledge-transition-economic-system