Wind power in New Mexico is located in New Mexico
New Mexico Wind Energy Center
Macho Springs Wind Farm
Macho Springs Wind Farm
Caprock Wind Ranch
Caprock Wind Ranch
Roosevelt Wind Farm
Roosevelt Wind Farm
El Cabo Wind Farm
El Cabo Wind Farm
Red Mesa Wind Farm
Red Mesa Wind Farm
Wind power projects in New Mexico
  Operating
  Under construction

As of the end of 2021, New Mexico had 4,001 megawatts (MW) of wind powered electricity generating capacity, responsible for 30% of electricity produced that year.[1] Wind power in New Mexico has the potential to generate more than all of the electricity consumed in the state.

Wind resources

See also: List of power stations in New Mexico § Wind

The 250 MW capacity Roosevelt wind farm started operation in December 2015. The plant sells electricity to Southwestern Public Service.[2]

Construction of the 298 MW El Cabo Wind Farm west of Encino was completed at the end of 2017.[3] The Red Cloud 331 MW wind farm in south east New Mexico has over 40% capacity factor, and sends power to LADWP at $0.043/kWh for 20 years.[4]

The SunZia Wind project will begin construction in 2023 and will be the largest wind farm in North America upon completion with 3,500 MW of capacity. A 3,000 MW HVDC transmission line will supply electricity to Arizona.[5]

Installed capacity

The following table compares the growth in wind power installed nameplate capacity in MW for New Mexico and the entire United States since 1999.[6][7][8][9]

Installed capacity by state as of 2018 (animated map of installed capacity growth)
Year New Mexico US
1999 0.7 2,472
2000 0.7 2,539
2001 0.7 4,232
2002 0.7 4,687
2003 206 6,350
2004 266 6,723
2005 406 9,147
2006 496 11,575
2007 496 16,907
2008 497.5 25,410
2009 597.5 34,863
2010 699.9 40,267
2011 750 46,916
2012 778 60,005
2013 778 61,107
2014 812 65,880
2015 1,080 74,471
2016 1,112 82,171
2017 1,682 89,078
2018 1,732 96,487
2019 1,953 105,583
2020 2,723 122,478
2021 4,001 135,843
Average annual wind power density map for New Mexico at 50m above ground

A 2010 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showed that New Mexico has the potential to install up to 492,083 MW of wind power nameplate capacity, generating 1,644,970 GWh annually.[10][11] For comparison, New Mexico consumed 23,060 GWh of electricity in 2016, and 20,639 GWh in 2005.[12][13]

Wind generation

New Mexico Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh)
Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2003 183 43 38 51 51
2004 513 49 46 49 56 54 39 28 31 40 23 46 52
2005 794 62 45 81 80 70 72 66 47 60 53 70 88
2006 1,256 133 108 145 140 93 102 80 61 84 107 114 89
2007 1,395 95 104 121 136 113 95 70 109 120 151 120 161
2008 1,641 176 151 162 163 151 143 97 76 95 128 135 164
2009 1,547 143 149 163 145 109 90 94 123 95 163 133 140
2010 1,833 156 94 168 199 194 139 102 120 136 144 182 199
2011 2,105 183 186 210 248 235 203 118 92 113 159 206 152
2012 2,226 230 213 220 193 194 188 124 119 131 198 182 234
2013 2,192 190 214 232 224 210 185 124 111 139 197 166 200
2014 2,275 248 198 254 258 190 211 125 103 134 149 224 181
2015 2,090 124 145 143 224 184 127 116 125 143 160 224 375
2016 3,605 308 327 378 310 338 195 289 193 262 324 305 376
2017 4,595 342 342 363 401 399 343 309 272 351 498 499 476
2018 6,092 532 553 608 668 512 521 334 373 406 471 561 553
2019 6,891 542 600 551 578 591 516 492 469 573 629 661 689
2020 7,224 696 630 738 679 657 759 437 480 491 265 693 699
2021 10,646 792 756 1,018 927 976 780 520 707 842 887 933 1,508
2022 14,499 1,365 1,275 1,284 1,597 1,404 1,210 853 692 960 966 1,345 1,548
2023 11,482 1,681 1,355 1,623 1,484 1,145 1,234 1,052 982 1,071
  Teal background indicates the largest wind generation month for the year.
  Green background indicates the largest wind generation month to date.
Source:[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, New Mexico, Fuel Type-Check all, Annual, 2001–21". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  2. ^ Roosevelt Wind Farm Starts Operations in New Mexico
  3. ^ "AVANGRID Completes Three Additional New Wind Farms". Spanish Wind Energy Association. January 13, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  4. ^ "Red Cloud Wind Power Sale Agreement No. BP 20-001" (PDF). LADWP. September 16, 2020.
  5. ^ Lewis, Michelle (2023-05-04). "The US' largest clean energy infrastructure project is kicking off construction". Electrek. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
  6. ^ "U.S. Wind Energy Projects - Arizona". American Wind Energy Association. 2009-12-31. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  7. ^ WINDExchange: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation
  8. ^ Wind Energy in New Mexico
  9. ^ "Market Report 2021". American Clean Power Association. May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  10. ^ "Estimates of Windy Land Area and Wind Energy Potential by State for Areas >= 30% Capacity Factor at 80m" (XLS). National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 2010-02-04. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  11. ^ "Arizona Wind Activities". National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 2010-02-19. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  12. ^ "Electric Power and Renewable Energy in Arizona". USDOE, EERE. 2008-06-25. Retrieved 2010-05-06.
  13. ^ "Electric Power Monthly February 2017". USDOE, EIA. February 2017. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
  14. ^ "Electricity Data Browser". U.S. Department of Energy. April 25, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.

External links

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