Article appeared in the New Mexican, January 30, 2000.
Alternative Energy    The floodgates are finally opening! Recent
developments around the country, and in particular, in Colorado
and Texas, indicate that electricity from renewable sources is
not only sensible and most favored by consumers, but is now
economically viable as well (not to mention that passive solar
heating and hot water have always been economically viable). 
The cost of wind power has fallen from about 14 cents per
kilowatt-hour in 1986 to about 4 cents per kilowatt hour-a half
cent or so above what PNM reports to be the cost of its coal-
fired electricity.    Fifteen thousand people now subscribe to
wind power in Colorado, and Texas of all places has mandated
that 2000 megawatts of renewables be added to their energy
portfolio. New Mexico draws around 2200 megawatts, and the wind
blows sufficiently strongly about 35% of the time. Therefore, if
implemented as wind power, the Texas mandate would provide
roughly 30%-40% of New Mexico's pow