Originally report in the College of Arts and Sciences News.
Dave Loomis, economics professor and director of the Center for Renewable Energy (CRE), received the 2011 Midwestern Regional Leadership Award for creative leadership in the Midwest during the 10th annual Wind Powering America (WPA) All-State-Summit. Loomis was recognized for his role in leading the Illinois Wind Working Group’s (IWWG) executive team, holding IWWG monthly webinars, and holding a citing and zoning taxation conference.
Loomis appreciated the recognition by the WPA, as well as the opportunity to show students the value of hard work. “It was just nice to be recognized for the hard work I put in [as a leader],” Loomis said. “If you work hard, sometimes you get recognized. But you don’t do it for the recognition; you do it because it’s the right thing to do.”
Loomis added that the guidance and vision of Larry Flowers, codirector of the WPA, helped him reach his accomplishment. For example, Flowers guided Loomis in presenting what the likely economic impact would be in Illinois from establishing recommended wind energy.
At the Summit, participants were asked to nominate peers they felt deserved to be recognized. Then, judges selected from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Department of Energy selected the winners from the list of nominated participants. The Summit also discussed the progress of wind energy and the WPA in the past year, collaborating on future strategies in wind energy. Loomis pointed to the CRE, a section of the WPA, as an example of progress. The center is seventh in the nation for installed wind capacity. Installed wind capacity is measured in megawatts and refers to the energy produced by wind turbine components. Loomis said the center may soon earn the number four spot in this category.
Be interesting to learn the economic impact on the local communities east of Bloomington/Normal from the installation of the Wind Farm(s) over the last decade.
Each windmill seemingly generates somewhere around 2 million in retail level
electricity each year. The landowner who has one planted on their property is making around $10k/year. Other than the $10k, what economic benefit have the people and taxing authorities in, for example, Saybrook TWP/Ridgeview School District/McLean County realised from the windmills? Has Professor Loomis or others investigated/reported on this matter?
David,
Would be a good question to ask the Center for Renewable Energy. You can contact them by visiting http://renewableenergy.illinoisstate.edu/