New Mexico State University will host an Electrify New Mexico online event Oct. 14. The discussion will focus on new technologies, related opportunities and challenges, and strategies for educating an associated workforce. (Courtesy photo)In a continued dialogue of advancing a statewide clean energy economy, New Mexico State University invites interested individuals to join a discussion on beneficial electrification from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 14. The discussion will focus on new technologies, related opportunities and challenges, and strategies for educating an associated workforce. The event will take place online via Zoom.
As New Mexico transitions to a clean energy economy, beneficial electrification could be a viable option for advancing low-carbon energy use. Like most states, however, New Mexico needs to expand investment in infrastructure, research, energy storage and interconnections to make electrification a reliable and economic success.
The Electrify New Mexico initiative seeks to address these challenges as opportunities by building collaborative, community-driven efforts with industry, utilities, national laboratories, governmental agencies, investors and end-consumer stakeholders as partners. Electrify New Mexico invites these partners to contribute their knowledge base, networks and other assets to accelerate the adoption of electrification where beneficial.
“The collective support of New Mexican stakeholders will be critical in this effort,” said Patricia Sullivan, director of NMSU’s Office of Strategic Initiatives. “Electrify New Mexico is intended to advance a dialogue on opportunities to leverage the state’s vast renewable resources while exploring innovation to diversify the state’s economy and workforce. NMSU is well-positioned to bring people together to facilitate this work.”
Keven Groenewold, who represents the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association, described how utilities will play a critical role in any collaborative plan that accelerates electrification.
“Utilities must be proactive in working with industry to determine infrastructure requirements, to reduce economic obstacles while our industry partners consider opportunities to pilot electric technologies coming out of our national labs and universities,” Groenewold said. “We all have a role to play in a clean energy economy.”
The Oct. 14 agenda will include a keynote by NMSU Chancellor Dan Arvizu, retired director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well as breakout sessions on technology, public policy and market development with speakers representing diverse interests throughout the state.
The event is hosted by NMSU’s Office of Strategic Initiatives and College of Engineering in association with the Beneficial Electrification League and Tri-State Generation and Transmission.
View the agenda and register to attend at http://bit.ly/ElectrifyNM or call 575-646-7852. There is no cost to participate but advance registration is required.