Wind energy plans revealed in Illinois, USA

For years, Illinois' rich supply of coal was what kept the lights on in our homes. But, there is a new resource Illinois has had for just as long that is now starting to power parts of the state. It's the dead of winter and dried up corn stalks are all that's left from last fall's harvest. But, some farmers in north-central Illinois are harvesting a new cash crop. Dennis Cradduck, Wind Farmer, said, ''In 1972 when my wife and I got married, she said there has to be something we can do with this wind out here. 30 years later we decided to do something with it.'' Cradduck's one of seven farmers near Paw Paw in Lee County to be a part of the state's first wind farm. Each of the 63 turbines produces about a megawatt of power and only takes up a half an acre of farmland. Each turbine is worth about 4-5 acres of production of either corn or soybeans.

Cradduck will bring in an extra 40 to 50 thousand dollars a year from power companies renting his property for the turbines. Ken Ropp would also like to see that extra cash blow onto his farm in Normal. A 150-foot meteorological tower has been set up on his property to see if wind power is viable. It's one of three studies currently going on in McLean County. ''We're located on the top of a ridge. If you look at a topographical map from McLean County, the ridge follows I-74 to Peoria,'' said Ropp. The frozen farm fields of Illinois are a far cry from the warm, sun-drenched coasts of California where wind turbines have been since the 1980's. But, when it comes to wind power now these two states are really not that far apart.

Jesper Michaelsen, NEG Micon Wind Turbine Company, said, ''Illinois ranks 17th among states in the U.S. for wind energy potential and that's slightly higher than California.'' Michaelsen says over the next two years his company is looking to invest between 50 and 100 million dollars into wind power in Illinois. Still, some people are concerned with the noise the turbines make. ''If the wind is blowing 10 miles per hour, you cannot hear them unless you're standing right under them,'' said Cradduck. Or what about migrating birds? ''There might be a few bird losses but it should be minimal.'' Environmentalists point to air pollutants from coal and gas fired power plants as being more harmful. Charles Kubert with the Environmental Law & Policy Center said, ''The benefits of wind power far outweigh the negatives.'' It's a unique twist in farming that could be whistling into Central Illinois within a year. Just keep your eyes fixed about 200 feet above the fields.