Wind power in NM - large and small (Portales: utilities, living)

[rruff]

No personal experience, but some info here:
Wind Powering America: State and United States Wind Resource Maps
http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhy...nm_50m_800.jpg

Note that power availability is proportional to the cube of the wind speed. In other words an 20mph wind has *8 times* the power of a 10mph wind. As you can see on the map, some parts of NM would be quite good for it, but they are not large areas.

[mortimer]

ziaAirmac puzzled:

> ... there's no way to say: "ziaAirmac is paying to only receive energy
> from the wind farm.".

You can't say the the electrons swarming through your magnificent 60-inch bigscreen TV are from that wind farm, but it might help to think of it like a bunch of hoses in a pool.

The hose from the wind farm has a meter on it and the farm and PNM know how much 'water' went into the pool. They get paid for that at the wind farm rate - whatever that is.

PNM owns the water in the pool.

You, the consumer, sucks 'water' out of the pool any pay for it based on what your meter says. You agree to pay what PNM says you will pay per unit of 'water.' You further agree to pay the little bit extra for the portion you agreed to pay extra for.

Now, the anal-retentive-green-eyeshades-beancounters get in on the action and allocate money from your to PNM and further allocate money from PNM to the wind farm at their favorable rate.

> ... feels somewhat insignificant on a single house's scale, ...

Yeah, but it's one thing to say "the government should do this or that and quite another to put your money where your mouth is.

I'm going to cruise the PNM web site to see how to sign up for a piece of the action. I was going to do this earlier in my residence here, but put it off due to temporary reasons.

It is actions like these from individuals that make the propogation of wind and other renewable progress at a faster rate because there is less that is left for the government to do.

> Wind energy on a personal property ... wind generators become much more efficient with height.

Maybe if you aren't trying to do too much with it, it could work for you.

Do you (anyone) remember the upright wind turbine on the West side? It was there when I moved in 1985, but I think it was gone by 1990 or thereabouts. It was, maybe 40 feet high.

That is, the turbine looked like these: Pacwind - home
and not like these: Image:Turbine aalborg.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Earlier, I posted a map of wind potential in NM from here:
http://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/72138.pdf

You'll find the apex of NM potential wind power is Vaughn, NM.

[ziaAirmac]

Originally Posted by mortimer

You, the consumer, sucks .... PNM says you will pay per unit of 'water.' You further agree to pay the little bit extra for the portion you agreed to pay extra for.

I just knew, on some level PNM felt this way

[WasSoggyInSeattle]

There's a farm outside of Elida, NM. If i remember correctly there are soemthing like 120 turbines... supplying energy to NM, West TX & parts of OK. We drove up there and they are HUGE... pretty impressive structures.

Local ranchers say they get more money leasing the land for the turbines than for all years of ranching they've done.

[mortimer]

ziaAirmac creates on the canvas of his choice:

> Originally Posted by mortimer
> > You, the consumer, sucks ....

> I just knew, on some level PNM felt this way ...

You sir, are an artist. I've voting you #1 wordwright.

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by rruff

No personal experience, but some info here:
Wind Powering America: State and United States Wind Resource Maps
http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhy...nm_50m_800.jpg

Note that power availability is proportional to the cube of the wind speed. In other words an 20mph wind has *8 times* the power of a 10mph wind. As you can see on the map, some parts of NM would be quite good for it, but they are not large areas.

Do you know of similar maps at ground level? Because these maps at a higher altitude show that most of the people who post on this forum are in the worst areas for wind power.

Yet, there is a lot of talk about the wind in NM. So, what is the explanation?

Is the ground level wind very different?

[desert sun]

they have those huge wndmills farms outside Ft.Sumner and I think they have some around the Tucumcari area.

[GregW]

If you mention wind turbines around here you would think you have committed some form of senic blasphemy. Thanks for the comments, I will look into that program when I move. In the meantime they should have Seabrook Station back on line after its annual fuel rod rearrangment.

[clairz]

This photo was taken as we drove through the 60 megawatt Caprock Wind Ranch south of San Jon.

~clairz

[rruff]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

Is the ground level wind very different?

Wind speeds a few feet off the ground are usually ~half what they would be at 50m... and that is if there are no obstructions. There is a reason why the towers tend to be tall.