Alternative Energy Resources

Alternative energy sources provide many benefits. Renewable energy development can create quality jobs and promote economic development, especially in rural areas. If used to diversify utility resource portfolios, alternative energy technologies can provide a hedge against rising fuel prices and can be valuable risk management tools. Can you buy green power in New Mexico? Check out the Department of Energy's website.

While some renewable energy resources are not always available (Yes, it's true. The wind does not always blow and the sun does not always shine), the technologies perform reliably when the "fuel" is available. In this regard, they can add to the reliability of the electricity grid, especially for businesses in which power outages are extremely costly.

You can check out what's available in the way of alternative energy in New Mexico. Below is a summary of alternative energy resources for New Mexico. For more information on each technology, you can visit the State Energy Alternatives page. You will be able to view resource maps and energy stats. Just visit EERE's State Activities and Partnerships website's New Mexico page.

Biomass

Studies indicate that New Mexico has fair biomass resource potential. For more state-specific resource information, see Biomass Feedstock Availability in the United States: 1999 State Level Analysis.

Geothermal

New Mexico has high-temperature resources that are suitable for electricity generation, as well as direct use and heat pump applications. Check out the map to see where it's feasible. Geothermal Resource Map.

Hydropower

New Mexico has a relatively low hydropower resource as a percentage of the state's electricity generation. For additional resource information, check out the Idaho National Laboratory's Virtual Hydropower Prospector (VHP).

Solar

New Mexico has an excellent solar resource. But, what do the maps mean?

To accurately portray New Mexico's solar resource, you need two maps. That is because different collector types use the sun in different ways. Collectors that focus the sun (like a magnifying glass) can reach high temperatures and efficiencies. These are called concentrating collectors.

Other solar collectors are simply flat panels that can be mounted on a roof or on the ground. Called flat-plate collectors, these are typically fixed in a tilted position correlated to the latitude of the location. This allows the collector to best capture the sun. These collectors can use both the direct rays from the sun and reflected light that comes through a cloud or off the ground. Because they use all available sunlight, flat-plate collectors are the best choice for many northern states.

Wind

Wind Powering America indicates that New Mexico has wind resources consistent with utility-scale production. The largest contiguous area of good to excellent resource is in central New Mexico between Albuquerque and Clovis. Other notable areas of good to excellent resource are near the Guadalupe Mountains in southern New Mexico, near Tucumcari, and in the northeastern part of the state near the Colorado and Oklahoma borders. In addition, small wind turbines may have applications in some areas. For more information on New Mexico's wind resources including wind maps, visit Wind Powering America's New Mexico Wind Activities.

The Renewable Energy Atlas of the West estimated the annual wind electricity generation potential in New Mexico to be 56 billion kWh. The estimate excludes 100% of the following areas, which are assumed to be infeasible for wind development:

• Landforms – land with a slope of greater than 20%.
• Environmentally sensitive areas.
• All National Park Service lands.
• All fish and wildlife lands.
• All Forest Service or BLM lands with "special" designations, such as national recreation areas or national wilderness areas.
• All bodies of water.
• Wetlands.
• Urban areas.