Dist. 300 wants to tap wind downstate

The next time you take a drive through the country, take Interstate 55 south about 140 miles, merge onto Interstate 74 and follow it east about 10 miles.

Look around you.

You probably won't see much, but this undeveloped plot of land could soon house machinery that would generate enough electricity to power three school districts.

Two suburban school districts - Community Unit District 300 and Keeneyville Elementary District 20 - are looking to partner with a third district downstate - Tri-Valley School District 3 - to build a wind farm in Downs - about 10 miles southeast of Bloomington.

"We want to do it with renewable energy because after the initial payback with installation, there's no cost," said David Ulm, District 300's energy management coordinator.

The District 300 school board on Monday passed a resolution supporting legislation that would allow suburban districts to build wind farms downstate, where there's more open space and higher wind speeds.

About 50 area school districts have already endorsed the bill, according to Gary Ofisher, District 20s chief operations officer.

"All these schools are saying - this would really help us in controlling our costs, since the state has been somewhat irresponsible in funding us at 31 percent," said state Rep. Fred Crespo, who introduced the measure.

But the bill faces an uncertain future. ComEd opposes the it, and lawmakers say the bill probably doesn't have a chance of passing until at least next year.

Then there's the funding.

It would take District 300 at least 10 years to pay off the $30 million cost of six wind turbines with the energy savings. The district probably would be able to finance some of the installation with interest-free bonds for renewable energy from the federal government.

The three districts have only just begun discussions on how the cost of installing and maintaining the turbines - as well as the credits they would get for producing electricity - would be divided between the three governments.

But school officials say the General Assembly has to pass the bill before those discussions can be meaningful.

Whether or not the wind farm pans out, District 300 is still moving forward on an on-site wind turbine that would power the district's new Hampshire High School and Gary D. Wright Elementary School, Ulm said.