GobNob Wind Turbine Project
The turbine is still going through the break-in phase, with problems being worked out. As of mid-July, the turbine is operating on most days, if the wind is blowing! . The GobNob project is a unique partnership between RECC and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which owns the land near Farmersville where the 900-kilowatt wind turbine is located. The GobNob Wind Turbine is located at the nearby Farmersville Substation) Central Illinois is not blessed with the "prime" wind speed sites that can be found in the Peoria, Bloomington and Quincy areas. However, there are some specific locations in our area that can provide moderate wind resources. The Gob Nob site is one of those, where a 60-foot pile of coal tailings covers about 14 acres at the former Crown I coal mine. This extra height gives us access to the higher wind speeds needed to generate electricity almost every hour of the year. The DNR has made this site available to our cooperative to enable us to generate clean, renewable energy for use by our members. All electricity produced by the turbine is fed through our Farmersville substation to power up to 370 homes and farms in the surrounding countryside. Drivers on Interstate 55 south of Springfield can see the 900-kw turbine for miles from Exit 72, where they can stop for a closer look and visit the information kiosk to be installed at the base of the hill. The turbine tower was constructed in late December of 2008, and commercial start-up was completed in early March of 2009. Visit the Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative to see photos of the construction process. |
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