Three years after passage of New Mexico’s community solar act, Affordable Solar intends to use domestic content in the seven solar installations that make up the 35 MW Cuidando Los Niños Community Solar Project.
Affordable Solar announced the groundbreaking and construction of New Mexico’s first community solar project, which the company expects to be operational in the summer of 2025.
The project is named for the non-profit organization Cuidando Los Niños, which provides critical services for children and families experiencing homelessness. Located in Valencia County, the solar project is being built in partnership with New Mexico’s Gridworks, an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm.
Community solar customers can enjoy equal access to the benefits of solar generation by subscribing to small local solar arrays and supporting local solar development. They then receive credit on their utility bill for their share of the power that is produced, just as if the panels were on their own roof.
The Cuidando project is made up of seven separate ground-mount installations, each under 5 MW. Collectively, they will generate enough electricity to power an estimated 15,000 homes, with half of the energy production going to support lowering electric bills for qualified low-income New Mexicans.
Dylan Connelly, project developer at Affordable Solar, told pv magazine USA that all seven of the installations feature First Solar Series 6 Modules on PV Hardware’s Axone Due Infinity single axis trackers with Solectria XGI 1500-250-Series-DCG inverters.
“We selected equipment with domestic content to meet the IRA requirements for domestic content,” said Connelly.
New Mexico’s community solar regulation was passed by the Public Regulation Commission in 2022, and it allows for the interconnection of community solar up to 200 MW of capacity, split by utilities. The regulation stipulates that 30% of electricity produced by a community solar facility be earmarked for low-income subscribers.
Community solar installations were stalled when three investor-owned electric utilities challenged the state’s community solar program. Projects began to move forward, however, in March 2024 when the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled against the utilities and upheld the community solar regulations.
“After nearly four years of hard work, we are ecstatic to begin construction on this historic project and to play a role in bringing renewable energy to communities across New Mexico,” Connelly said. “This project not only reflects our commitment to clean energy but also highlights our dedication to giving back to the communities where we live and work.”
Official sign ups can take place after the bill credit tariffs are finalized, which Connelly said the company hopes is in the next 30 days. Affordable Solar is working with a subscription management and acquisition company and has also partnered with local non-profits who serve low-income individuals and families to help connect with low-income households. Low-income households can sign up for free and will save around 20% on their electric bills with no long-term contracts, Connelly said.
“It is a source of pride that we are a New Mexico company developing and building these projects and we’re the first out of the gate to get started on construction for our New Mexico Community Solar Program,” Connelly concluded.
Affordable Solar has been in business since 1997 and reports that it has completed over 3,000 solar installations in New Mexico and supplied more than 20,000 systems to commercial, industrial, scientific, community and residential customers in 96 countries.
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