By Matt Jones
02/18/21
Construction of a new solar project at New Mexico State University began this week. The university has partnered with El Paso Electric (EPE) on the initiative that they call Aggie Power, which should be sufficient to power about one-third of the 900-acre NMSU campus in Las Cruces. They expect to complete the construction by this fall, and the project has been in the works since 2018. The goal of the partnership is to move forward on “mutual goals related to state renewable energy, climate action, and micro-grid development.”
Aggie Power is intended to not only provide the university with a source of renewable energy, but also to act as a “living laboratory” that offers training and research initiatives for electrical engineering faculty and students. Another benefit is that it will give the university a power boost between noon and early evening, when the demand for power is greatest.