Huge wind energy projects approved for development in NM

Two massive wind energy projects are coming to New Mexico.

In August, the New Mexico State Land Office approved two wind projects expected to bring more than $146 million in revenue for land beneficiaries, mainly public schools.

EDF Renewables, with lessee Silver Stallion Wind, is leasing 23,840 acres in Grant County. The project, dubbed Silver Stallion, will become the second-largest wind project on state land, generating 400 megawatts of wind energy. That’s enough to power 80,000 homes, according to the State Land Office.

Innergex Renewable Energy is overseeing the other recently approved project, leasing 12,192 acres in Hidalgo County to eventually produce 150 megawatts of wind power, which the State Land Office says is enough to power about 30,000 homes.

Public Lands Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard said in a statement her office received multiple qualified bidders on both of the leases, showing that “companies are taking us seriously when we say we are open for business.”

“New Mexico is blessed with plenty of wind and sun, as well as nine million acres of state lands, making us well-positioned to expand our renewable portfolio even more,” she said. “These wind projects will provide real, long-term revenue to help make a difference in New Mexico’s classrooms.”

The projects will likely take about three to five years to become fully operational, according to the State Land Office.

There are nine operating wind projects on state land. The largest project is Avangrid’s El Cabo Wind, taking up nearly 40,000 acres and producing about 192 megawatts of energy.

There are another 20 wind projects in development, including the two newest from EDF Renewables and Innergex.

Once Pattern Energy’s SunZia wind project is up and running, it’ll become the largest wind project in New Mexico by far. The SunZia wind projects in the north and south will take up space in Lincoln, Torrance and San Miguel Counties and produce more than 1,000 megawatts of energy, according to approved long-term wind leases with the State Land Office.

The total wind energy generation in the future, once development is finished on all currently approved projects, will add up to 2,106 megawatts, according to the State Land Office.

New Mexico also has solar projects on its land, though at a much smaller scale than wind projects.

There are just over a dozen approved solar energy projects, including eight operating projects and five projects in development. The long-term leases will add up to nearly 400 megawatts of solar power.