# Wind power in New Mexico

As of 2023, wind power was the top source of energy in New Mexico, with approximately 4,400 megawatts (MW) of electricity generating capacity responsible for 38% of electricity produced that year. Wind power in New Mexico has the potential to generate more than all of the electricity consumed in the state.

## Wind resources

The 250 MW capacity Roosevelt wind farm started operation in December 2015. The plant sells electricity to Southwestern Public Service.
Construction of the 298 MW El Cabo Wind Farm west of Encino was completed at the end of 2017. The Red Cloud 331 MW wind farm in south east New Mexico has over 40% capacity factor, and sends power to LADWP at $0.043/kWh for 20 years.
The SunZia Wind project will begin construction in 2023 and will be the largest wind farm in North America upon completion with 3,500 MW of capacity. A 3,000 MW HVDC transmission line will supply electricity to Arizona.

## Installed capacity

The following table compares the growth in wind power installed nameplate capacity in MW for New Mexico and the entire United States since 1999.
| Year New Mexico US 1999 0.7 2,472 2000 0.7 2,539 2001 0.7 4,232 2002 0.7 4,687 2003 206 6,350 2004 266 6,723 2005 406 9,147 2006 496 11,575 2007 496 16,907 2008 497.5 25,410 2009 597.5 34,863 2010 699.9 40,267 2011 750 46,916 2012 778 60,005 2013 778 61,107 2014 812 65,880 2015 1,080 74,471 2016 1,112 82,171 2017 1,682 89,078 2018 1,732 96,487 2019 1,953 105,583 2020 2,723 122,478 2021 4,001 135,843 | Average annual wind power density map for New Mexico at 50m above ground |
A 2010 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showed that New Mexico has the potential to install up to 492,083 MW of wind power nameplate capacity, generating 1,644,970 GWh annually. For comparison, New Mexico consumed 23,060 GWh of electricity in 2016, and 20,639 GWh in 2005.

## Wind generation

New Mexico Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh) :
| Year | Total | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 2003 | 183 | | | | | | | | | 43 | 38 | 51 | 51 |
| 2004 | 513 | 49 | 46 | 49 | 56 | 54 | 39 | 28 | 31 | 40 | 23 | 46 | 52 |
| 2005 | 794 | 62 | 45 | 81 | 80 | 70 | 72 | 66 | 47 | 60 | 53 | 70 | 88 |
| 2006 | 1,256 | 133 | 108 | 145 | 140 | 93 | 102 | 80 | 61 | 84 | 107 | 114 | 89 |
| 2007 | 1,395 | 95 | 104 | 121 | 136 | 113 | 95 | 70 | 109 | 120 | 151 | 120 | 161 |
| 2008 | 1,641 | 176 | 151 | 162 | 163 | 151 | 143 | 97 | 76 | 95 | 128 | 135 | 164 |
| 2009 | 1,547 | 143 | 149 | 163 | 145 | 109 | 90 | 94 | 123 | 95 | 163 | 133 | 140 |
| 2010 | 1,833 | 156 | 94 | 168 | 199 | 194 | 139 | 102 | 120 | 136 | 144 | 182 | 199 |
| 2011 | 2,105 | 183 | 186 | 210 | 248 | 235 | 203 | 118 | 92 | 113 | 159 | 206 | 152 |
| 2012 | 2,226 | 230 | 213 | 220 | 193 | 194 | 188 | 124 | 119 | 131 | 198 | 182 | 234 |
| 2013 | 2,192 | 190 | 214 | 232 | 224 | 210 | 185 | 124 | 111 | 139 | 197 | 166 | 200 |
| 2014 | 2,275 | 248 | 198 | 254 | 258 | 190 | 211 | 125 | 103 | 134 | 149 | 224 | 181 |
| 2015 | 2,090 | 124 | 145 | 143 | 224 | 184 | 127 | 116 | 125 | 143 | 160 | 224 | 375 |
| 2016 | 3,605 | 308 | 327 | 378 | 310 | 338 | 195 | 289 | 193 | 262 | 324 | 305 | 376 |
| 2017 | 4,595 | 342 | 342 | 363 | 401 | 399 | 343 | 309 | 272 | 351 | 498 | 499 | 476 |
| 2018 | 6,092 | 532 | 553 | 608 | 668 | 512 | 521 | 334 | 373 | 406 | 471 | 561 | 553 |
| 2019 | 6,891 | 542 | 600 | 551 | 578 | 591 | 516 | 492 | 469 | 573 | 629 | 661 | 689 |
| 2020 | 7,224 | 696 | 630 | 738 | 679 | 657 | 759 | 437 | 480 | 491 | 265 | 693 | 699 |
| 2021 | 10,646 | 792 | 756 | 1,018 | 927 | 976 | 780 | 520 | 707 | 842 | 887 | 933 | 1,508 |
| 2022 | 14,499 | 1,365 | 1,275 | 1,284 | 1,597 | 1,404 | 1,210 | 853 | 692 | 960 | 966 | 1,345 | 1,548 |
| 2023 | 11,482 | 1,681 | 1,355 | 1,623 | 1,484 | 1,145 | 1,234 | 1,052 | 982 | 1,071 | | | |