Solstice and the Power of Community Solar

Success Stories

Solstice and the Power of Community Solar

Solstice, New Mexico is transforming the way communities’ access clean, affordable energy. Founded on the belief that every American household can be powered by renewable energy, Solstice’s origins trace back to the Obama administration, where its founder helped craft pioneering Community Solar legislation that has since been adopted nationwide. Since launching operations in 2015, Solstice has grown to manage over 100 megawatts of Community Solar capacity in New Mexico, making clean energy more accessible than ever.

The company discovered the City of Albuquerque’s Small Business Office (SBO) through its events page and immediately recognized the value of the network. The SBO’s Resource Fair proved to be a critical opportunity to connect, share resources, and build partnerships. While the event yielded many positive contacts, the most valuable connection turned out to be with the SBO itself, an ongoing relationship that continues to open doors for new opportunities.

Through the SBO connection and community outreach, Solstice achieved one of its most important milestones to date: enrolling Curry County and Valencia County in the New Mexico Community Solar Program. These counties are now set to benefit from lower electricity costs and expanded access to renewable energy.

“The Resource Fair was a great opportunity to meet local businesses, but the most valuable connection we made was with the SBO itself,” said Michael Meade, Partnership Development Manager at Solstice. “Their support has been instrumental in helping us expand access to community solar and enroll entire counties like Curry and Valencia in the program.”

The New Mexico Community Solar Program, an initiative of the Public Regulation Commission (PRC), enables qualified organizations around the state to receive subsidized solar energy from local solar farms built within the service areas of PNM, El Paso Electric, and Xcel Energy. The program is free to join and requires no equipment or upfront investment. Participating organizations receive 10 percent bill credits on their electricity costs, though enrollment is limited to a statewide cap of 200 MW.

Looking ahead, Solstice’s goal is ambitious: to enroll 1,000 businesses across the region in Community Solar.

Learn more about the program on the PRC’s website here , PNM website and Solstice’s enrollment platform, where utility customers can connect their utility accounts.