Our video team traveled to the high desert rangelands of Corona, New Mexico to showcase a green energy project.
Art Ruiloba and Tomilee Turner spent two days videotaping the vast acreage of NMSU’s Corona Range and Livestock Research Center (CRLRC) and the Southwest Center for Rangeland Sustainability (SWCRS), which lie east of the village of Corona, New Mexico. The Corona research center has long been a leader in applied production and increasingly bridges the research needs of agriculture and energy.
Tomilee and Art toured the site with a representative of the Pattern Energy Company, along with educators from Mesalands Community College’s Wind Energy Technology Program and a staff member from the Region 9 Education Cooperative. They received an up-close look at the wind farm technology project on NMSU’s working research ranch.
The videographers caught images and video of the 27,886-acre ranch during the tour and a post-tour with Shad Cox, Superintendent of the CRLRC.
The crew documented wind turbine construction and infrastructure throughout the ranch, and also videotaped other aspects of the ranch. A highlight was capturing Richard Dunlap, Ranch Manager, working horseback with livestock. They also conducted interviews with Mr. Cox, Mr. Dunlap and Michael Goff, Landowner Liaison & Senior Land Agent for Pattern Energy Company.
Innovative Media Research and Extension is producing a video for the College of ACES to showcase NMSU’s research on renewable energy in their facilities.
NMSU’s wind farm contains 41 wind turbines and is part of a larger venture encompassing other nearby ranch land. Called the Western Spirit project, these four wind farms with a total of 377 turbines have the potential of producing 1,050 megawatts of electricity. The wind farms will contribute to the state’s mission to develop a green energy economy.
The electricity generated by these large turbines will be transmitted to California to be sold to markets in that state.
NMSU and the College of ACES will reinvest revenue generated from the wind farm back into the CRLRC and SWCRS, so they can expand on research programs and graduate student studies.
They also plan to use the funds for ranch maintenance, completion of the SWCRS, new labs and additional housing for staff, scientists, students, visitors, 4-H youth, and industry clientele who participate in the educational and research opportunities provided by the ranch.
Watch our video on YouTube: The Corona Range Livestock & Research Center: The Nexus of Energy and Agriculture
Written By: Art Ruiloba, NMSU-ACES Video Producer, aruiloba@nmsu.edu