Mexico turns toward alternative energy

Amanda Worley
January 23, 2009
1:34 pm

Yesterday in La Ventosa, Mexico, an inauguration was held. However this time it wasn’t for a president. This time, it was an inauguration of one of the world’s largest wind farm projects. “Mexico's President Felipe Calderon inaugurated one of the world's largest wind farm projects as the nation looks for alternative energy, in part to compensate for falling oil production.” People were spread far and wide over the narrow isthmus, (between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean) which was covered with wind turbines, a $550 million dollar investment.

Mexico is trying to exploit its rich wind and solar potential after decades of relying almost exclusively on petroleum. With oil production down by 9.2 percent in 2008, Mexico now is turning to foreign companies, mainly Spanish, to tap its renewable riches.

“‘If we don't do something about this problem of climate change it probably could become — I'm sure it already is — one of the biggest threats to humanity,’ said President Felipe Calderon at the inaugural ceremony attended by about 1,000 residents, many of whom held on to their cowboy hats on this wind-swept day.”

The Gulf of Mexico region is so breezy that the main town is named La Ventosa, or "Windy." In this narrow isthmus, winds blow at 15 mph to 22 mph (25 to 36 kph), a near-ideal rate for turbines. Gusts have been known to topple tractor trailers.

The 6,180-acre farm is expected to generate 250 megawatts of electricity with 167 turbines, 25 of which are already operating. The rest should be on line by the end of the year, making the project the largest of its kind in Latin America.

How much is 250 megawatts? It’s large enough to produce ample energy to power a city of 500,000 people, while reducing carbon monoxide emissions by 600,000 metric tons each year.

So far there hasn't been a group able to stop the project, just some individuals calling on supporters to "defend the land we inherited from our ancestors."

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