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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Energy companies are expected to double the generating capacity of wind farms in eastern New Mexico over the next few years, thanks in part to federal subsidies and improvements in technology.
More than a gigawatt of wind capacity is now under construction or planned in New Mexico, said Jeremy Lewis, head of the energy, conservation and management division at the state Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department.
If all of that comes on line, that would be enough to potentially supply nearly 700,000 homes every year.
“The costs for wind and solar have dropped precipitously, allowing a lot more renewable energy to move onto the grid,” Lewis told The Albuquerque Journal. “We’ll see a lot more wind energy connected to our economy moving forward.”
Still, some question whether the uptick will be temporary since subsidies will be phased out by 2020 and President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration is expected to pursue fossil-fuel development over renewables.