Wind farm gets $2.2 million

Monday, October 9, 2006

By Journal Star Staff

ELLSWORTH - Twin Groves Wind Farm, a project among the world's largest land-based wind farms, received $2.2 million in state funding, the governor announced during a visit Saturday.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced the funding to Horizon Wind Energy, LLC for the construction of a 198-megawatt wind project in eastern McLean County. The facility is the first phase of a planned 400-megawatt wind farm, which, when fully built, would be one of the largest land-based wind farms in the world.

The project will create an estimated 250 construction jobs and up to 40 permanent jobs. The grant is being provided through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's Renewable Energy Resource Program.

"If we invest now in wind power and other environmentally friendly energy options, within 10 years, we'll be able to produce enough energy from our own natural resources to cut our dependence on foreign energy in half," Blagojevich said during the stop. "That means billions of our hard-earned dollars will stay here at home, in our economy creating more jobs, rather than leaving Illinois forever. We have the resources. We have the technology. We have the expertise. And if we start today, we can solve this problem in the next 10 years."

Horizon Wind Energy, formerly Zilkha Renewable Energy, is a Houston-based developer of wind projects, which currently is operating and developing projects in more than a dozen states. The company recently broke ground on phase one of the project in July and expects to begin producing power and begin work on phase two by April.

Once fully constructed, which is anticipated by the end of 2007, the facility will produce enough energy to meet the annual needs of approximately 120,000 residential homes using 240 wind turbines. The projected cost of the wind farm is estimated at $700 million, with annual county tax revenue estimated at $1.2 million and annual farmer income generated at $1.2 million as well.

This announcement follows the recent launch of Blagojevich's comprehensive Energy Independence Plan. One element of his plan involves support for a Renewable Portfolio Standard, requiring that 10 percent of the state electric supply come from renewable energy sources such as wind energy by 2015.

Horizon Wind Energy Chief Development Officer Michael Skelly said his company is "delighted" to work in partnership with the farmers and other residents of McLean County.

"Horizon appreciates the support from across the state for wind energy in Illinois and looks forward to a long and successful partnership," he said.