Wind Energy in Illinois

Capacity & Generation

Installed Capacity 7,192 MW Source: American Clean Power Association

MW Under Construction 806 MW Source: American Clean Power Association

Based on EIA data from 2022

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration's Open Data API, Electricity Net Generation.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. Net Generation from Wind. Updated Annually.

U.S. Wind Turbine Database

map of wind turbines in Illinois

The United States Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) provides the locations of land-based and offshore wind turbines in the United States, corresponding wind project information, and turbine technical specifications. The creation of this database was jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Wind Energy Technologies Office via the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Electricity Markets and Policy Group, the U.S. Geological Survey Energy Resources Program, and the American Wind Energy Association.

Maps & Data

Wind Education & Training

Career training and projects at schools in Illinois.

Training Locations

Illinois Institute of Technology (Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research)

Danville Area Community College

Heartland Community College

DeVry University

Elgin Community College

Illinois State University

Illinois Valley Community College

Kankakee Community College

Lake Land College

College of Lake County


Wind for Schools Project Locations

There are no Wind for Schools projects in Illinois.

Policies & Incentives


37 local wind energy ordinances

Illinois Incentives

View current Illinois renewable energy incentives on the DSIRE website.

Renewable Portfolio Standard
Renewable portfolio standard
25.0% by 2026

WETO R&D Projects

U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office's Wind R&D Projects Map

To view a list of wind research and development projects in Illinois funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, visit the Wind R&D Projects Map and select Illinois from the dropdown menu.

Wind Turbine Component Manufacturers

map of wind turbines in Illinois

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind Prospector tool is a web-based Geographical Information System that supports resource assessment and data exploration for wind development. Wind Prospector includes a data layer dedicated to the locations of U.S. wind turbine and component manufacturing and supply chain facilities. Corporate headquarters, service facilities, material suppliers, R&D and logistics centers, and smaller component manufacturers (e.g., bolt manufacturers) are not included. The list of facilities included is not intended to be exhaustive.

Illinois Offices & Organizations

Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne National Laboratory offers the following wind research facilities to meet industry needs:

  • -The Leadership Computing Facility, available to any researcher in the world with a large-scale computing problem. The Argonne Leadership Computing Facility supports the advancement of wind predictions by increasing model resolution and improving physical representations from complex terrains
  • -Wind resource instrumentation housed at Argonne's atmospheric observatory, including a meteorological tower, multiple custom sodar systems, and the Radar Wind Profiler
  • -The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains Site, spanning approximately 9,000 square miles in north-central Oklahoma and southern Kansas and providing access to meteorological instrumentation for wind forecasting and plant optimization
  • -The Tribology Laboratory, providing accelerated testing of wind turbine materials that experience surface damage
  • -The Advanced Photon Source Technical Facility, allowing a better understanding of component failure.

Clean Energy Group

Clean Energy Group is a leading national, nonprofit organization working on innovative policy, technology, and finance programs in the areas of clean energy and climate change. The group's projects concentrate on climate and clean energy issues at the state, national, and international levels and include stakeholders from governments and the private and nonprofit sectors. Clean Energy Group assists states to create and implement innovative practices and public funding programs for clean energy project deployment; creates networks of U.S. and international policy makers to address climate stabilization strategies; and advances effective distributed innovation theories, finance, and commercialization tools for new climate technologies.

Clean Grid Alliance (formerly Wind on the Wires)

Clean Grid Alliance is a non-profit organization whose 40-plus members include wind and solar developers and manufacturers; non-profit environmental, public interest, and clean energy organizations; tribal representatives; farmer organizations; and other businesses that support renewable energy in the Midwest.

Environmental Law and Policy Center

The Environmental Law and Policy Center works with colleagues throughout the region to create new jobs and spur economic growth with wind power. The group's work includes expert policy analysis and testimony, as well as coordination with clean tech innovators, manufacturers, developers, and policymakers to identify new opportunities for wind power.

Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs-Zoning Research

This website provides Illinois residents with information about wind energy project zoning.

Midwest Renewable Energy Association

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides renewable energy education and demonstrations, including training programs for small wind systems and renewable energy certification programs. The group also organizes The Energy Fair, an annual event in Custer, Wisconsin.