The first commerical geothermal power plant in New Mexico is expected to deliver 10 megawatts to the Phoenix area by December.
Raser Technologies Inc. of Provo, Utah will provide the power to Salt River Project to supply about 5,500 homes.
The 2,500-acre Lightning Dock geothermal field in Hidalgo County has 41 wells with water temperatures from 250 to over 300 degrees (F). It has supplied hot water to greenhouses in the area for many years and generated binary power for local use. Raser expects to expand the facility to maximize the resource at a later date. [photo: binary power unit at Lightning Dock field. Credit, Geo-Heat Center]
This needs to be looked at more closely.Why is the state of NM allowing new alternative sources of energy to be sold out of state? Why aren't the liberals in Santa Fe & Taos screaming&protesting this? They recently suspended the development of natural gas resources around Santa Fe....one would think they would "hug" clean geo-thermal energy. Why does Phx get an energy source that the poor rural folks of NM could use....NM politicians missed the boat on this one unless its some skids were greased.
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be a growing problem for all kinds of energy development. Arizona is fighting new transmission lines that would carry electricity to California. The BLM held a public hearing yesterday on the environmental impacts of solar energy production, including the building of transmission lines.
ReplyDeleteKansas is arguing over two proposed power plants that would primarily send energy to the Colorado Front Range, with critics saying that the state should not have to bear the environmental impacts for another state.
If I remember correctly, New Mexico proclaimed a few years ago that it would try to become a major energy supplier to the West Coast, primarily with solar, but wind and geothermal also.
They seem to be looking at energy as simply another product they can produce and sell.