Santa Fe County commissioners have given the green light to a high-profile and controversial solar and battery energy storage facility that has divided opinion in the region and generated heated opposition in the Eldorado area.

The commission's 4-1 vote Tuesday to approve the Rancho Viejo Solar project is likely not the end of the story — opponents have said they plan to appeal the approval to state District Court.

The project comes as New Mexico aims to make a shift to clean energy and away from coal and gas, and commissioners who voted to support the project cited the need to get renewable energy projects online to combat climate change.

"I think that this project is much, much, much safer than the alternative — the alternative would be a 332-home development, with 332 potential fire

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