To help stabilize energy costs and decarbonize energy usage in the City of Aztec, New Mexico, Triple Bottom Line Foundation (TBL Fund) worked with its affiliate, International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (ICAST), to conduct predictive modeling that evaluated the financial feasibility of a utility-scale solar PV and battery storage projects for the municipal utility. By bridging the financing to fund the project until Investment Tax Credits are available, the City was able to construct a 2MW Solar PV farm and 4MW battery storage facilities to generate over 5 GWh of renewable energy annually, resulting in estimated cost savings of nearly $5 million for the City over 25 years and stabilized energy costs for residents. 

Aztec is located in San Juan County, New Mexico in the 4-corners region that has been heavily impacted due to the closure of a coal mine and a large coal-fired power plant.

The project will:

• reduce energy costs for 'Aztec's 6,000-plus residents
• decarbonize energy usage
  
• provide high-quality, sustainable jobs for the operation and maintenance of the project after the temporary construction jobs
• help the City of Aztec achieve some level of energy resiliency.