Renewable Energy Mandate and Corporate Influence

In case you missed the Albuquerque Journal this morning, there was an interesting story (subscription required) about Ben Luce, a Santa Fe physicist who recently resigned as director of the New Mexico Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy.
Mr. Luce is quoted as saying, among other things, that “The renewable energy policy was structured by the (Public Service Company of New Mexico) to make the governor look good but to have no real impact.” Obviously, this would not be the first time that such a thing has happened in New Mexico, but this time it is a hard-core environmentalist that is complaining. To my mind, what is good to him is bad for the rest of us.
Thus, it is hard to read his comments. Are the renewable mandates and transmission authority ineffective? It is hard to tell, but we certainly hope these onerous regulations will be watered down and toothless. Only time and economic indicators will tell.