
The Land of Lincoln continues to be a dominant force in the wind energy market, recently moving from fifth to fourth place among U.S. producers of the green energy.
The American Wind Energy Association recently released its fourth quarter results from 2011, with Illinois being the only state in the top 10 that moved up. According to AWEA, other top performers included Texas, currently first in the nation for wind energy, which was followed by Iowa and California.
According to area newspaper the Galesburg Register-Mail, Illinois installed the second-highest number of megawatts among all states in 2011, which likely aided immmensely in its ranking. Many living in the southern half of the state are pro-wind, believeing the wide-open, flat tracts of land and wind patterns offer pristine conditions from which to harness the energy source. Business leaders in the rural college town of Galesburg, located in central Illinois, have high hopes for the energy in their particular region.
Eric Dilts, director of the incubator at the city's Sustainable Business Center, told the Register-Mail, "I just think Galesburg is perfectly located to service both Illinois and Iowa, number four and two in the nation."

