The Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) posted this project summary online in September 2005. University Proposal to Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF) for Turbine Purchase

• Proposes to install three, 1.5 MW wind turbines on the campus South Farms.
• Estimated total project capital cost will be $5,700,000.
• UIUC requests $2,000,000 in aid from the ICECF Renewable Grant Program to help establish this wind turbine project.
• The request is ~1/4 of the total cost ($1.4M), plus a two-to-one (2:1) match on the student fees ($600K).
• To date, the student initiated “clean energy fee” has raised and committed $300,000 for this project.
• Also, the university is investigating the possibility of an additional $250,000 in support directed by the Illinois Department of Community and Economic Opportunity through Vestas Wind Systems A/s.
• The UIUC is prepared to fund the remaining $3,000,000+ in capital costs.
• UIUC facilities will use 100% of the electricity generated by the wind turbines; the energy will feed directly into the University’s electric distribution system.
• The wind turbines will displace electricity generated by natural gas turbines at the UIUC Abbot Power Plant and purchased electricity, depending on the time of day and year.
• The three turbines will produce ~10,500,000 kilowatt hours of electricity (=2.7% of the total campus energy consumption).
• Location: South Farms area- Curtis/Windsor Rd on the north and Old Church Rd on the south and by Philo Rd on the east and First St. on the west.
• Wind turbines renewable energy production will annually eliminate the release of 6,700 tons of carbon dioxide, 32 tons of sulfur oxides and 15 tons of nitrogen oxides.
• The turbines generation capacity will be enough for the UIUC to voluntarily meet the State of Illinois’ Renewable Portfolio Standard through December 31, 2007.
• College of Engineering (Dean Ilesanmi Adesida) wrote a letter to ICECF supporting the project.
• Robert Easter wrote a letter to ICECF saying that ACES “is delighted to support the proposal to install wind turbines”.