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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $156.1 million to New Mexico through its Solar for All (SFA) program. This funding, part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) established by the Inflation Reduction Act, aims to support solar installations in low-income households. The New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) will administer the initiative.
EPA Regional Administrator Dr. Earthea Nance highlighted the program’s focus on helping vulnerable communities. “We must prioritize protecting these communities by offering green energy alternatives to build climate resilience and reduce pollution,” Nance emphasized. Senator Ben Ray Luján praised the investment, stating it would bolster clean energy efforts, create jobs, and reduce emissions, while Rep. Melanie Stansbury expressed her excitement about the benefits of resilient and secure power for low-income families. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández noted the initiative’s goal to extend solar benefits to those historically left out, and Rep. Gabe Vasquez underscored the program’s potential to provide economic opportunities and lower utility bills for more New Mexicans.
The EMNRD plans to establish an Environmental Justice Advisory Committee to engage communities and ensure equitable solar access. A Project Team will oversee program execution, including the integration of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) to enhance energy resilience for low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDAC). The team aims to improve energy resiliency by tracking power disruptions in these communities before and after implementing ESS. More than 21,000 LIDAC households are expected to benefit.
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To maximize outreach, EMNRD will collaborate with community-based organizations and conduct group listening sessions and one-on-one meetings. This approach aims to address potential barriers to solar adoption and educate residents on solar energy’s benefits.
This grant is part of the EPA’s broader $7 billion Solar for All initiative, which has awarded approximately $5.5 billion to 49 state-level recipients, with additional awards for Tribes and multistate projects. The program is projected to benefit over 900,000 low-income households nationwide, generating substantial savings on energy bills and reducing emissions by deploying over four gigawatts of solar energy capacity.
Source: EPA
