Tri Global Energy Commences Development of 255 MW wind Project in East Central Illinois

Tri Global Energy (TGE), a renewable energy project developer in the US, has commenced the development phase of a 255 MW wind energy project in Vermilion County, which is projected to be the largest in East Central Illinois. 

The company develops and owns wind, solar and energy storage projects in Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Nebraska and Virginia. It has long been the largest developer of wind power in Texas, the state which leads the US in production of wind energy. However, Illinois ranks 6th in the country for wind power production.

John Billingsley, TGE’s founder and chairman, feels that the state is poised to reap even more benefits through harnessing its assets for the development of wind energy.

Billingsley further said “we have been able to form beneficial relationships with more than 3,500 participating landowners and community investors in Texas.”

“We've found the same great land resources and entrepreneurial spirit here in Vermilion County, and this project will pay benefits locally for decades to come,” Billingsley added.

The 15,000-acre Vermilion Wind project is located just south of the Little Vermilion River. Wind, utility interconnection and preliminary environmental studies are underway. Development efforts are expected to continue over the next 2 to 3 years.

The TGE Vermilion County wind project is led by project manager, Pete Boever, who is onsite and meeting with land and homeowners. Boever said “land acquisition will continue through 2020, even though a majority of leases will be signed by mid-October 2020.”

Boever further added “transmission easements and Good Neighbor agreements will follow the initial lease-signing efforts. We look forward to working with the Vermilion community to cooperatively develop this project with them and to generating meaningful economic opportunity for project participants and the surrounding region.”

Boever and his team estimate that over the next 25 years, Vermilion Wind will generate approximately USD 55 million dollars in landowner payments along with an estimated USD 47 million in tax revenues for local schools, roads and more. During the estimated 6-to-9-month construction phase approximately 150 full-time jobs will be created.