Mexico turns toward alternative energy (AP)

[eppur_se_muova]

By MARK STEVENSON – Jan 22, 2009

LA VENTOSA, Mexico (AP) — Mexico inaugurated one of the world's largest wind farm projects Thursday as the nation looks for alternative energy, in part to compensate for falling oil production.

Mexico is trying to exploit its rich wind and solar potential after relying almost exclusively on petroleum for decades. With oil production down by 9.2 percent in 2008, Mexico now is turning to foreign companies, mainly Spanish, to tap its renewable riches.

"If we don't do something about this problem of climate change it probably could become — I'm sure it already is — one of the biggest threats to humanity," said President Felipe Calderon at the inaugural ceremony attended by about 1,000 residents, many of whom held on to their cowboy hats on this wind-swept day.

The new, $550 million project is in a region so breezy that the main town is named La Ventosa, or "Windy." It's on the narrow isthmus between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, where winds blow at 15 mph to 22 mph (25 to 36 kph), a near-ideal rate for turbines. Gusts have been known to topple tractor trailers.
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[Andy823]

1. Seems like a lot

Of countries all over the world are turning to alternative forms of energy, with wind and solar right up at the top of it all. Seems like the U.S. is missing a golden opportunity here. We need to not only get on the band wagon as far as producing energy from such sources, but it would be a chance to restart the manufacturing industry back up by producing the wind turbines, and solar panels right here in this country. I fear that once again China will beat the U.S. to it, and we will be buying their products once again instead of creating industry here.