The members of Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS) would like to share some exciting news: This week, the University has taken the first big step towards getting a wind turbine! As many of you may or may not know, students at the University have been trying to bring a wind turbine to campus for several years. There have been some hiccups in the process, but it is slowly becoming a reality.

This wind turbine will provide renewable energy to campus buildings and is a bold move toward a greener campus. The turbine will help reduce the University’s dependence on coal for energy. In spring 2010, the University signed the Illinois Climate Action Plan, which set goals for generating 5 percent of its energy from on-campus renewable sources by 2015. The turbine is an essential factor in meeting this goal.

The process has been slow, but it is important to recognize this first step. On Wednesday, the University opened the bidding process for purchasing the turbine and signing a contract to build it.

It is crucial for students to be aware of this process and to help keep the pressure on the University to ensure a speedy completion. The wind turbine is funded in part by a $2 million grant which will expire in the spring. If construction is not started by May 2011, the University will lose this funding, potentially jeopardizing this project and others to come.

Great progress has already been made, but there’s still a long way to go before breaking ground. We congratulate the University on their hard work, and we look forward to a future as a more sustainable campus!

Julie Fry,

junior in Engineering

SECS Renewable Energy Group