Taos Pueblo Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

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Taos Pueblo Renewable Energy Feasibility Study

• Taos, New Mexico
• 2004-2006
• Funded by DOE Tribal Energy Program

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Pueblo of Taos
Community Profile

• Located in North Central New Mexico
• Designated UNESCO World Heritage Site (1992)
• National Register of Historic Places (1960)
• Largest of the Eight Northern Pueblos in
  population and land base
• Tribal Enrollment 2,200 members
• Elevation 7,600
• 119,000 acres

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Scope of Study

• Solar
• Wind
• Biomass
• Hydro
• Geothermal
• Concept development based on resources
• Tribal Council review
• Business plan development

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Key Aspects of the Taos Pueblo Renewable Energy
Study

• 1. Determine how to supply as much of all
  electricity and heat used at Taos Pueblo as
  possible with zero emission or low emission
  sources.
• 2. Create a safety net of power to maintain
  critical services such as water, food, and fire
  protection.
• 3. Build energy-based economic development and
  sovereignty.

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Solar

• New Mexico sunshine abundant even in winter

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Solar

• Demonstration Projects p.v.-powered pump for
  drip irrigation and greenhouses.
• Deep well pump array for livestock grazing and
  municipal water supply.
• New housing can utilize passive-solar and
  off-grid housing can use p.v.
• Large-scale solar thermal electricity for sales
  to utility or direct use for large loads

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New Solar-Electric Technology
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Subterranean heating and cooling system
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Installation of 1st layer of heating pipe
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Completion of 2nd layer of pipe
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Completed Subterranean Heating and Cooling System
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Attached solar greenhouse
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Hot water piping for district heating
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Wind

• Commercial grade wind sites are on mountain
  ridges which due to scenic and cultural issues
  may not be appropriate.

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Small-scale wind

• Good wind resources in open rangeland and
  farmland for small-scale wind
• Off-grid Residential

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Repowering mechanical windmills with wind
turbines and/or solar
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Biomass

• District heat system for cluster of office
  buildings and Indian Health Clinic-automated
• District heating system for Red Willow Center and
  greenhouses manually operated

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Biomass System
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Biodiesel Crops
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Biodiesel Crops

• Canola and mustard seed very cold tolerant and
  low water users.
• Oilseed can be processed at planned processing
  plant in nearby area
• Byproducts are animal feed organic pesticide

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Hydroelectric
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Strategies

• 50 years of USGS data from 4 gage sites on Rio
  Lucero, Rio Pueblo, and Rio Grande- never divert
  more than 20 of flow
• Planned irrigation pipes can be used as
  penstocks. Turbines act as pressure reduction
  valves does not divert additional water from
  streams

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Generation Potential

• A single 200 kW turbine can generate
• 33 of the electricity used at Taos Pueblo.

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Promising Results

• Wood fired district heating system can generate
  income for wood harvesters and improve forest
  health while stabilizing energy bills for
  existing and planned buildings.
• Wind/solar generation for pumping water can
  assist in expanding buffalo herd.
• New generation of housing can be solar, and more
  land assignments can be used without power line
  extensions.
• New solar technologies will enable Taos Pueblo to
  become exporter of energy.

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Energy Sovereignty

• Food, water, heat, power
• Security
• Economic development

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Conclusions

• Low-impact hydro and solar can supply all of the
  electricity used at Taos Pueblo as well as
  surplus for export.
• Solar, forest thinnings, biodiesel crops and
  geothermal heat pumps can supply all of the heat
  used at Taos Pueblo.

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Taos Pueblo Elders Spoke

• In all of its programs the Forest Service
  proclaims the supremacy of man over nature we
  find this viewpoint contradictory to the
  realities of the natural world and to the nature
  of conservation. Our tradition and our religion
  require people to adapt their lives and
  activities to our natural surroundings so that
  men and nature mutually support the life common
  to both. The idea that man must subdue nature and
  bend its processes to his purposes is repugnant
  to our people. Testimony to United States
  Congress