Utilization of Geothermal Energy for Agribusiness Development in Southwestern New Mexico
- Key words
- Direct Use; USA; New Mexico; Animas Basin; Agriculture; Greenhouses; Resource assessment; Feasibility; Economics; Meat cooking facility
- Location
- Animas Valley, New Mexico
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 1980
- Session
- Direct use; Agricultural applications; Greenhouses; Economic
- Language
- English
Abstract
Animas Valley in southwestern New Mexico is an agricultural area of high geothermal energy potential. Geothermal water at boiling temperature is encountered at 88 fee below the ground surface at the center of the geothermal anomaly. A feasibility study for the utilization of this geothermal resource for greenhouse operation indicates that savings of as much as $143,000 annually could be realized through replacing natural gas by geothermal water for space heating of a five acre greenhouse site. Specific economic analysis for a meat pre-cooking facility using geothermal water indicates that such an operation would not be economical due to the non-availability of adequate quantities of fed beef in the area and the cost of construction of a complex using geothermal water for pre-cooking.
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