Kit Carson Electric Cooperative Selected as Finalist for $95 Million Award from Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service for Innovative Green Hydrogen Energy Project in New Mexico

Funding award to advance project repurposing wastewater to generate green hydrogen clean energy; believed to be first end-to-end clean powered green hydrogen production plant in the U.S.

TAOS, N.M., Oct. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) has announced it is a finalist for a $95.6 million funding award from the New ERA Program through the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The funding will support the KCEC Questa Green Hydrogen Project, an innovative clean energy initiative benefiting Northern New Mexico and repurposing reclaimed water from a closed mine.

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"This project’s success sends a clear message: New Mexico is a national leader in clean hydrogen," said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. She emphasized the project's role in upgrading energy resilience and providing hundreds of jobs to rural communities in Northern New Mexico.

Senator Martin Heinrich stated, "I worked hard to pass the transformative clean energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act. This project aligns with the goals of the Empowering Rural America Program to expand clean power generation and lower utility costs for hardworking New Mexicans."

Earlier this year, KCEC received a $500,000 award from the United States Department of Energy to fund planning and safety studies for the proposed green hydrogen project. "We are moving closer to fully funding this innovative project," said Bobby Ortega, president of the KCEC Board of Trustees.

About the KCEC Questa Green Hydrogen Project

The Project will drive the production and adoption of clean hydrogen in Northern New Mexico, including in Taos County, Picuris Pueblo, and Taos Pueblo. Each community will have custom green hydrogen facilities powered by renewable energy. The project will utilize solar power and create long-duration energy storage technology, benefiting the Village of Questa.

"This is a major step in redefining Questa as a new green energy community," said Village of Questa Mayor John Ortega. He noted the project's role in creating jobs and generating potential tax revenue for the Village of Questa.

Benefits to Northern New Mexico

The KCEC Questa Green Hydrogen Project will:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a clean-powered green hydrogen plant.
• Redevelop brownfield land into greenfield projects.
  
• Stimulate economic development in areas needing improvement.
  
• Build on KCEC’s success as one of the cleanest power cooperatives in the U.S.

"This is transformative for our communities," said KCEC CEO Luis A. Reyes Jr. "It advances renewable electric generation technology and supports the state's energy goals."

KCEC aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030, with a goal to be over 70% renewable energy-powered by 2028. KCEC has methodically worked on its energy transition strategy, achieving 100% daytime solar power by 2022 in partnership with Guzman Energy.

About Kit Carson Electric Cooperative

Kit Carson Electric Cooperative was formed in 1944 and is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative in Northern New Mexico. Serving nearly 30,000 members across Taos, Colfax, and Rio Arriba counties, Kit Carson is the second-largest cooperative in the state.