New Mexico’s Clean Energy Future Is Taking Root

TLS’s Bruce Kohrn, was invited to speak with state leaders, policy innovators, utilities, and renewable energy collaborators to present the launch of the Clean Energy Transition Strategy (CETS). A bold roadmap to an inclusive, data-driven clean energy economy, powered in part by geothermal energy. 

1. A Data-Centric Vision for Equitable Access

Former U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest J. Moniz (Founder, Energy Futures Initiative) reinforced a core principle that continues to shape New Mexico’s energy strategy: robust, data-based policy isn’t optional, it’s foundational. By leveraging comprehensive resource assessments, CETS seeks to ensure every New Mexican has secure, affordable access to clean power. As Travis Kellerman, Senior Climate Policy Advisor, emphasized:

“The CETS will address the ongoing need to provide all New Mexicans secure, easy access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy. This phase of the project, coupled with the two subsequent phases supported by an appropriation from the state legislature, will provide a detailed roadmap for the energy transition that could make New Mexico a global leader in the energy transition.”

2. Balancing Legacy Fuels with a Just Transition

Jeanette Pablo of the Climate Equity Foundation underscored a reality that New Mexico’s energy story is deeply intertwined with its oil and gas heritage and that any forward-looking strategy must respect that history while charting an equitable future. By integrating socio-economic data into project planning, CETS can help identify communities at greatest risk of displacement or job loss, ensuring targeted workforce development and reinvestment programs.

3. Critical Materials as Electrification Catalysts

Laura Phelps from Freeport-McMoRan highlighted copper’s indispensable role in grid expansion, electric-vehicle charging, and high-efficiency motors. New Mexico’s rich mineral endowment positions the state to not only host clean-energy projects but also to supply key components for a continental-scale energy transition. Through strategic permitting reforms and robust reclamation standards, CETS aims to attract responsible mining investments that align with long-term resource stewardship.

4. Building the Backbone: Transmission & Storage

Lynn Mostoller of the Rural Electricity Transmission Association (RETA) stressed that generation alone won’t solve resilience challenges, new high-voltage transmission corridors and agile storage assets are equally vital. CETS outlines coordinated planning frameworks to streamline cross-jurisdictional permitting, supporting the grid integration of new geothermal projects.

5. Honoring Tribal Wisdom & Collaborative Culture

PNM’s Cathy Newby highlighted New Mexico’s tribal nations as exemplars of generations of environmental stewardship and community governance. True resilience arises when technical innovation is guided by cultural wisdom. TLS is committed to co-designing exploration and community-benefit protocols with Pueblo and Tribal partners to ensure that geothermal developments reflect their priorities.

Cultivating Geothermal Growth in New Mexico

New Mexico is stepping into a new level of clean energy commitment. The seeds we plant today will determine our harvest tomorrow. Geothermal’s year-round firm power makes it a keystone resource in New Mexico’s clean-energy mosaic. TLS’s AI-enhanced exploration tools, Dig4GEO for integrated geophysical inversion, Jipass for joint probabilistic analysis, and 3GCube for 3D subsurface modeling are already driving down exploration risk and unlocking new prospects beneath the surface.

A special thank you to Benjamin Bajema, Senior Advisor to Secretary Kenderdine, whose coordination made this convening possible. Together, we can accelerate geothermal’s next stage of growth, bringing reliable, dispatchable power to communities across the New Mexico landscape. 

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