New turbine, alternative energy source a first for traveler facility in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – As part of its commitment to promote environmental sustainability and green practices at its facilities, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has installed a wind turbine at the Krisdala Baka rest area on westbound Interstate 74 between Moline and Galesburg. A first at an IDOT facility, the turbine will provide an alternative energy source to cut down on utility costs.
“This project is a ‘win-win’ for the state – we are reducing our expenses in the long term while doing our part to help the environment,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “We are proud to showcase this project at a facility that’s visited by so many people traveling through our state. This is the type of innovation we are committed to continually exploring at IDOT.”
Rising 100 feet off the ground with a rotor diameter of 23 feet, the new turbine and tower will be noticeable to travelers and tourists along I-74. The concrete base is approximately 20 square feet and seven feet deep. Expected to generate between 14,000 and 25,000 kilowatt hours per year, the turbine produces electricity in a seven mile per hour wind and automatically turns out of the wind when it reaches 35 miles per hour.
The electricity that’s produced will be transformed by an inverter to match the power that’s currently supplied to the rest area by the local utility company. Excess power will be sent down the utility grid, to be reclaimed during periods when the wind is too light or too strong to produce electricity.
The Bergey 10kW wind turbine was installed by Laverdiere Construction, Inc., of Macomb, and Meister Electric, Inc., of Peoria.
The department will monitor the project, with the possibility of implementing similar ones at its other facilities. Click here to watch a short video showing how this wind turbine was installed.
