ISU Center for Renewable Energy finds Illinois wind farms to produce $6.4 billion for economy

Posted on July 21, 2016

David Loomis is Director of the ISU Center for Renewable Energy. (Adam Studzinski/WJBC)

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – A new study by Illinois State University’s Center for Renewable Energy shows wind farms in Illinois will add $6.4 billion to the economy over their 25 year life span.

“Wind farms generate $30.4 million in annual property taxes for local communities and $13.86 million a year in extra income for land owners, who lease their land to developers,” Center Director David Loomis said.

Loomis added the wind farms have also created 20,173 jobs during construction. The farms support 869 permanent jobs with 226 direct jobs in rural areas.

“Wind energy has played an increasingly important part in the state’s energy mix,” he said.

McLean County produces 15 percent of the state’s wind energy, which is first in the state. The results of the study were released Thursday during the Illinois Renewable Energy Conference at ISU’s bone Student Center.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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