2006 New Mexico Statutes - Section 62-16-3 — Definitions.

62-16-3. Definitions.

As used in the Renewable Energy Act [ 62-16-1 NMSA 1978]:

A.     "commission" means the public regulation commission;

B.     "public utility" means an entity certified by the commission to provide retail electric service in New Mexico pursuant to the Public Utility Act [ 62-13-1 NMSA 1978] but does not include rural electric cooperatives;

C.     "reasonable cost threshold" means the cost established by the commission above which a public utility shall not be required to add renewable energy to its electric energy supply portfolio pursuant to the renewable portfolio standard;

D.     "renewable energy" means electric energy:

(1)     generated by use of low- or zero-emissions generation technology with substantial long-term production potential; and

(2)     generated by use of renewable energy resources that may include:

(a)     solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal resources;

(b)     fuel cells that are not fossil fueled; and

(c)     biomass resources, such as agriculture or animal waste, small diameter timber, salt cedar and other phreatophyte or woody vegetation removed from river basins or watersheds in New Mexico, landfill gas and anaerobically digested waste biomass; but

(3)     does not include electric energy generated by use of fossil fuel or nuclear energy; and

E.     "renewable portfolio standard" means the percentage of retail sales by a public utility to electric consumers in New Mexico that is required by the Renewable Energy Act to be supplied by renewable energy.