Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Bulletin
By Samantha Roberts
When typing “New Mexico green” into a search engine, the first things to come up are websites on green chile. However, the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce is looking to make another green just as popular – green building, green businesses and green living.
New Mexico has been rated second best of the 50 states for solar power potential; behind Arizona however, in regard to capitalizing on this usage, the state falls next to last. To address this dilemma, the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce is hosting a green conference, targeting businesses that are interested in sustainability practices and to help educate the public.
“Renewable energy and clean technology is a growing industry that will directly benefit southern New Mexico and more broadly,” said New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce CEO Allan Oliver in regard to having the chamber’s upcoming Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Conference in Downtown Las Cruces. “We are not talking about urban areas or just Albuquerque. This technology will change all of New Mexico. We want to help showcase the benefits that can be accrued and job creation across the state.”
The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Main St.
“We are thrilled to hold the event in Las Cruces, especially in Downtown and at the Rio Grande Theatre,” said Elisa Cundiff, executive director of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce. “Some of the people coming don’t make it to southern New Mexico very often, so we are excited to show them what we have.” Cundiff said she is especially excited about some of the companies making an appearance at the conference, such as Intel, EMCORE Corp., CFV Solar Test Laboratory Inc. and many more. “These are incredible companies,” she said. “CFV is the leading research testing lab in the world.”
Oliver said the New Mexico Green Chamber is also attracted to the southern part of the state because of the supportive companies in the area. “Southern New Mexico has a lot of land and some great solar distributors,” he said. “There is a strong, vibrant Las Cruces chapter that is well-connected into the community and we wanted to make this a community-based event. That is why we chose Downtown, it’s the heart of a community.”
Oliver said he would like to see 150 people at the conference, and it’s looking to strong leaders to draw people in to the green issues. “If you are looking for who is helping lead the state, the advances at Sapphire Energy cannot go unnoticed,” he said. “New Mexico State University is very strong and there are great solar installers, such as Sunspot Solar Energy and Positive Solar Energy. There was just a really good rationale for having this event in Las Cruces, and we hope people come out and take advantage of the opportunity.”
Cundiff said the conference will consist of two events – an outdoor green business expo and the indoor panel discussions. “There will be 20 ‘vendors’ outside,” Cundiff said. “For example, Doña Ana Community College will be there to talk about renewable energy education. We want the event to be very interactive and fun.”
Also making an appearance at the conference will be the New Mexico Workforce Development green jobs bus. Feature speakers from Intel, EMCORE and 20 more expert panelists from industry, government, and research centers will also be in attendance.
“We encourage anyone or any business interested in making a switch to greener solutions or wanting to know more to come,” Cundiff said. “There will be a panel of all local business owners who have made the switch to green and will talk about how they are making money in the niche market.”
“This is a great opportunity for networking with like-minded people,” Oliver said.
Cundiff said conferences, such as this one, will help make New Mexico a leader in green technology and research. “We have some of the greatest labs right here,” she said, “but as soon as the technology is developed, the programs are sold and developed in the Silicon Valley. I want to move them back to New Mexico.”
Cundiff said part of this problem is also in politics, and a panel, including state Sen. Steve Fischmann, will also be there Sept. 30 to discuss what needs to happen. “Public land is an on-going issue,” Cundiff said. “We want to make sure we address that, too.”
“I am especially excited about Allen Gilbert, the keynote speaker for the event,” Oliver said. Gilbert is the U.S. Department of Interior Senior Advisor for the Rocky Mountains and Southwest and will speak about the renewable energy on public land the potential impact on southern New Mexico. “This is still a tough time for the economy, but southern New Mexico has seen rapid growth,” Oliver said. “(The conference) is a great opportunity to hear from some of the best minds in the state focused on the audience as well as business experts from academics and national labs. This is the opportunity to hear directly from them.”
Tickets for the conference are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, visit www.nmgreenchamber.com.
