Geothermal & Hydropower

New Mexico’s geothermal dream envisions local use, competitive prices, and multi-tasking. Combination enterprises include geothermal electricity, especially to even the erratic nature of wind and solar; greenhouse, home and district heating; fish-farming; processing crops like chiles and onions; and spas. Already, New Mexico has the most geothermally heated greenhouse acreage in the nation. In the dream, 30 to 200 MW of electricity come from geothermal.  Most geothermal  can be found in the Rio Grande valley.

New Mexico has limited hydropower. The San Juan basin produces 30 MW from the Navajo and Farmington dams. In the Rio Grande basin about 50 MW comes from Elephant Butte, Abiquiu, and El Vado dams. Over 200 MW is transmitted to special utilities from the mainstream Colorado River Project. Local micro-hydropower is possible in the northern mountainous energy regions.

Geothermal potential in New Mexico

New Mexico has the most geothermally heated greenhouse acreage in the nation.