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raw · articles · ingested 2026-07-13

New Mexico Solar Energy Association (NMSEA) — nmsolar.org

Source: https://www.nmsolar.org/

Fetched from https://www.nmsolar.org/ on 2026-07-13.

What it is

A 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit founded in 1972, operating as the New Mexico state chapter of ASES (the American Solar Energy Society). Mission: “to educate, empower, advocate, and collaborate for clean renewable energy.”

Archive connection: NMSEA was co-founded by Steve Baer (with Peter van Dresser and Keith/Ken Haggard) at Ghost Ranch in 1972 — see the Corrales Comment obituary and Solar Fools. It is a living institutional descendant of the same New Mexico passive-solar movement this archive documents.

Education & outreach programs

  • Going Solar and Energy 101 curriculum; Solar Basics covering photovoltaics, solar thermal, passive solar, and solar cooking
  • Sun Chaser educational trailer and SunCatcher school visits
  • Solar-cooking demonstrations at community events; renewable-energy lectures at high schools; Kill-A-Watt meter classroom materials
  • Passive solar architecture showcases and agrivoltaic field trips/demos

Events

  • Annual Meeting (January), Solar Fiesta, Earth Day demos, Sun Day, ASES Solar conferences, and participation in the National Solar Tour

Partnerships (relevant to Los Ranchos)

  • American Solar Energy Society (ASES); 350 New Mexico
  • Community farms: Los Poblanos and Rio Grande Community Farm — both in the Los Ranchos / North Valley area
  • Universities and research institutions; local churches for solar-design education

Geographic focus

Primary activities centered in the Albuquerque and Los Ranchos area, with statewide reach.

Contact / partnership pathway

Relevance: NMSEA is a ready-made education and programming partner for the proposed Double Play demonstration building at the Los Ranchos Agri-Nature Center — it already does school outreach, passive-solar showcases, and North Valley farm partnerships, and carries a direct lineage back to Baer.