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Protesters gather outside of energy conference in downtown sa国际传媒官网网页入口
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The state鈥檚 first-ever comprehensive conference on 鈥淏uilding an Advanced Energy Ecosystem in New Mexico鈥� opened Thursday morning at the Clyde Hotel in Downtown sa国际传媒官网网页入口. It is bringing together scientists, researchers and energy industry representatives from across the state to discuss effective ways to decarbonize New Mexico鈥檚 economy.
The two-day event, which includes presentations and panels discussions on a range of energy-related issues, plus keynote speeches by policymakers, aims to bring the local community together in a collaborative sharing of ideas and knowledge, according to the organizers.
But outside the hotel, a large group of activists gathered in protest, waving signs, chanting, rapping and performing slam poetry. The group marched from nearby Robinson Park to the hotel, with about 300 participants to start.
The protest 鈥� organized by Youth United for Climate Crisis Action, or YUCCA 鈥� showed stark differences between many local environment groups and conference organizers, with radically different philosophies on how to reduce the state鈥檚 carbon emissions.
Conference presenters, for example, called for an 鈥渁ll-of-the-above鈥� approach to decarbonization using a broad range of technologies to phase out fossil fuels and carbon emissions. But demonstrators questioned some of those technologies, such as carbon capture and sequestration, hydrogen production and nuclear power, calling instead for an all-renewable approach based on wind generation, solar power and battery storage.
YUCCA organizer Jonathan Ju谩rez called carbon capture technology and hydrogen 鈥渇alse solutions鈥� that only slow the transition to clean energy resources.
鈥淩eally what they are is a lifeline for the fossil fuel industry,鈥� Ju谩rez told the Journal. 鈥淎ll they do is continue the reliance on fossil fuels at a time when we should be halting production and phasing out extraction.鈥�
It was a different atmosphere inside the conference, which included a broad swath of energy experts from the state鈥檚 research universities, community colleges, the national labs, public agencies, and nonprofit institutions, plus industry representatives from both the renewable and fossil-fuel sectors. Policymakers are also participating, with Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich scheduled for a keynote address Friday regarding federal efforts to accelerate the country鈥檚 transition to a clean-energy economy.
Panel discussions touch on everything from green hydrogen production, venture investment in emerging energy technology and nuclear power to transmission development and use of carbon capture and sequestration technology to control emissions.
State Rep. Meredith Dixon, D-sa国际传媒官网网页入口, spearheaded efforts to organize the conference in collaboration with New Mexico Women Lead, a nonprofit that helped bring the state鈥檚 scientists, academics and industry representatives together to participate.
Dixon, who kicked off the event with a welcome speech Thursday morning, said an annual energy conference in Boston that unites experts from around the world inspired her to launch a similar event in New Mexico, one focused on state-level issues.
鈥淭his conference is about sharing knowledge and bringing people together to develop an advanced energy ecosystem in New Mexico that works for everyone,鈥� Dixon told conference participants. 鈥�...This is not about winners and losers. There鈥檚 room at the table for everyone.鈥�
During initial presentations, Dixon and other speakers stressed the need for an 鈥渁ll-of-the-above鈥� approach to decarbonizing the economy.
鈥淲e must use every tool and technology available to us, including some that are not yet ready for deployment,鈥� Dixon said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 鈥榓ll of the above鈥� and 鈥榓ll hands on deck,鈥� and New Mexico is uniquely positioned to research, develop and deploy those technologies.鈥�
During one breakout session, Economic Development Department Deputy Secretary Jon Clark announced the launch of a new pilot program this fall to award grants of between $250,000 and $1 million for New Mexico companies that have advanced technology to help make energy use cleaner, safer, and more reliable. The EDD has earmarked $800,000 for the initial pilot program and will seek funding from the state Legislature in the upcoming session for $6.7 million over two years.
Conference organizers, however, didn鈥檛 invite any environmental organization to participate in panel discussions, reflecting the effort to maintain a 鈥渘onpartisan鈥� focus, Dixon said.
鈥淲e want people to hear information about technology and how to build the ecosystem,鈥� Dixon told the Journal. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about hearing from experts that we have in the state. Environmental groups and others have an important role to play, but this is about the science, technology development and how we can reach our goals for decarbonization.鈥�
Some representatives from environmental groups did pay the $200 entrance fee to participate, including Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Director Camilla Feibelman, who took issue with comments made by one ConocoPhillips executive during a panel discussion Thursday morning.
Vice President for Corporate Policy Karl Fennessy said the transition to clean energy will take time, and global demand for oil and gas is not projected to plateau until the early 2030s. Even then, demand will remain steady until mid-century, he said, and in the meantime, ConocoPhillips is working aggressively to decarbonize its oil and gas operations.
鈥淲e need to integrate that into discussions about the energy transition,鈥� Fennessy said.
But Feibelman said such positions significantly slow the ability to phase out fossil fuels.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always a good idea to bring people together, but we have to make sure industry positions and 鈥榮olutions鈥� aren鈥檛 just 鈥榞reenwashing鈥� the issues,鈥� Feibelman told the Journal. 鈥淐an ConocoPhillips really say with a straight face that it will continue to extract oil and gas in New Mexico while protecting the state from the ravages of the climate crisis?鈥�
Before the march, Ju谩rez and a small group of protesters attempted to enter the conference but were removed by hotel security.
The protesters complained that oil and gas executives were directly represented in the conference, but climate activists were not 鈥� especially given the $200 price tag for each conference participant.
鈥淎 lot of our community members couldn鈥檛 just drop $200 to go to this,鈥� Ju谩rez said.
Watch climate protesters disrupt sa国际传媒官网网页入口 downtown
