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Projects Updates for Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms

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  1. University proposal for turbine purchase

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)
    Wind Turbine ICECF Grant

    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”.
    Attached Files: 

  2. Project Approval

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms

    The wind farm project at the South Farms was approved by Steve Rugg in the first week of September. He approved the request for $5.7 million to install three wind turbines at the proposed site.

    Breakdown of $5.7 million: $300,000 would come from the student fees, $2,000,000 grant from ICECF (proposed), and the rest would be covered by the University.

  5. Site selection completed

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms

    South Farms were selected as the location for the wind farm. This selection was based on several factors because the wind farm had to be at least 20,000 feet away from the nearest airport (Willard Airport). Other reasons included noise impacts, shadow flicker effect to the nearest houses, and being away from the campus, etc.

    Facilities and Services at the U of I was considering the installation of one to three wind turbine generators at the South Farms, which would help augment power generated by Abbott Power Plant.

    Attached Files: 

  6. Informal presentation of the proposed site

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms

    Last week of June 2005, the proposed site for the wind farm project was informally presented by the UI liaison to the officials with the cities of Champaign and Urbana, the village of Savoy, and the Champaign county. However, the city representatives expressed a few initial concerns regarding the proposed site for the turbines.

  7. Contract for Navigant Consulting Inc

    Associated Project(s): 
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms
    ICECF Grants

    In June 2005, Navigant Consulting Inc was hired by the University of Illinois to do a feasibility study, which would include

    • a wind turbine-generator fatal flaw analysis for setting up to four wind turbine-generators on the property owned by UIUC in the South Farms area.
    • To develop a preliminary economic analysis of the wind turbine-generator bus-bar electric costs.
    • Results of the study will be used by UIUC to prepare an application to the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

  11. Trustees approval of the student fee

    Associated Project(s): 
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    In June of 2003, University of Illinois became the first university in the state of Illinois to implement a student fee to support renewable energy projects when the UI Board of Trustees approved the student committee's proposal of $2-per-semester fee for clean energy projects. It was expected to generate $140,000-$160,000 per year, depending on student enrollment, which could be used as the seed money for the wind energy project. The funds would be allocated through a new committee called the Student Sustainability Committee (SSC).

  12. Student fee for clean energy - Proposal

    Associated Project(s): 
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms

    In a referendum on 5th of March, 2003, the student body voted for a $2-per-semester fee to fund renewable energy projects and technologies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They agreed on implementing this $2-per-semester fee hike in the Fall-2004 session. The accumulated funds could be used as the seed money for the wind turbine project.

  13. Inception of Wind Turbine Project

    Associated Project(s): 
    Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS)
    Wind Turbine Generator(s) on South Farms

    In the spring of 2003, the idea of Wind energy was proposed by the Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS). Many colleges and universities in the recent years have shown interest in renewable energies and installing wind turbines for even small amount of wind energy would be a great gesture on the university's part to achieve sustainable renewable energy.

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