A 255-megawatt (MW), 15,000-acre wind project, Vermilion Wind, projected to be the largest in East Central Illinois, has commenced its development phase in Vermilion County with several key milestones in place.  The wind development project is spearheaded by national renewable energy leader, Tri Global Energy, which develops and owns wind, solar and energy storage projects in Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Nebraska and Virginia.  

Tri Global Energy (TGE) has long been the largest developer of wind power in Texas, the state which leads the U.S. in production of wind energy.  However, Illinois ranks sixth in the country for wind power production, and TGE's founder and chairman, John Billingsley, feels the state is poised to reap even more benefits through harnessing its assets for the development of wind energy.

"We have been able to form beneficial relationships with more than 3,500 participating landowners and community investors in Texas," said Billingsley. "We've found the same great land resources and entrepreneurial spirit here in Vermilion County, and this project will pay benefits locally for decades to come."

The Vermilion Wind project is located just south of the Little Vermilion River. Wind, utility interconnection and preliminary environmental studies are underway. Development efforts are expected to continue over the next two to three years. 

The TGE Vermilion County wind project is led by project manager, Pete Boever, who is onsite and meeting with land and homeowners.  "Land acquisition will continue through 2020, even though a majority of leases will be signed by mid-October 2020," said Boever. "Transmission easements and Good Neighbor agreements will follow the initial lease-signing efforts.  We look forward to working with the Vermilion community to cooperatively develop this project with them and to generating meaningful economic opportunity for project participants and the surrounding region."

Boever and his team estimate that over the next 25 years, Vermilion Wind will generate approximately $55 million dollars in landowner payments along with an estimated $47 million in tax revenues for local schools, roads and more.  During the estimated six-to-nine-month construction phase approximately 150 full-time jobs will be created.

Tri Global Energy | www.triglobalenergy.com