Loomis dreamed of erecting what would have been one of the first wind turbines in Illinois at the University Farm in Lexington. But novel wind technology was cost-prohibitive.
He didn’t expect that just a few years later, electricity-generating wind turbines would become common along Illinois’ rural horizons.
Rapid growth In 2003, the state’s first wind farm, Mendota Hills, was constructed in Northern Illinois. And in 2008, Illinois’ largest wind farm, Twin Groves I and II (240 turbines capable of producing 396 m
Driven by the development of more than 20 utility-scale wind farms, in-state electricity from renewable energy has more than tripled over the past decade, and it is expected to continue growing in Illinois as new solar and wind projects join the electric grid.
Going green In 2008, Loomis established the Center for Renewable Energy, which operated at Illinois State for the next decade and focused on the technical potential and economic benefits of renewable energy integration into the U.S. electric grid. Connected by the center, Aldeman, Jo, and Loomis began collaborating and were recognized with the Outstanding Cross-Disciplinary Team Research Award in 2016.
The trio jointly conducted a series of renewable energy integration studies that explored the potential of solar and wind energy generation within Illinois and focused on alternative energy storage on the electric grid. Their research has been published in dozens of peer-reviewed journals with international readership and led to speaking engagements across the world.
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Categories: Illinois, Energy