By Illinois Radio Network
Chicago, IL – Illinois was No. 2 in the nation last year in adding wind generating capacity.
Peter Kelley, spokesman, American Wind Energy Association, says the wind industry is good for farmers, who lease their land to wind generators. The state led the nation in the number of wind turbines installed in 2011, and was No. 2 in increasing its wind capacity, with 692 megawatts, according to the American Wind Energy Association. Illinois now stands at No. 4 in the nation with 3,000 megawatts of wind generating capacity in use.
Wind produces only 2.2 percent of the electricity in Illinois, but that's expected to grow as state law requires more of the state's electricity consumption to come from sources other than coal and nuclear. Also, the association says Illinois has 1,000 jobs at 13 manufacturing firms making the equipment and components used in wind generation.
