When The Indiana Wind Blows

WHITE COUNTY, INDIANA - I can see as far as my two eyes allow me to when I'm home, here in Indiana. I see no mountains, when the Indiana wind blows I feel it. Like water, the wind can pick you up and throw you down. Like water, if you're not careful, you can be swept away.

When the Indiana wind blows, I feel it. I'm sure you do to, but up in Northern Indiana, they've found a way to use this wind, it's a visible source of power. If you've made the trip up I-65 to the Windy City, then you've probably passed a few windy counties. These windy counties I'm referring to are home to hundreds of wind turbines that are using Indiana's wind, spirit, breath... to produce energy.

Indiana's wind was being wasted until 2008. The only wind power being used was from few small water-pumping windmills on farms until the construction of our first utility-scale wind power facility.

Indiana is energy, check out my story on Gas City if you don't believe me! Let's talk about this wind that we all feel. According to WINDExchange, which provides official wind data for all 50 states, 6% of Indiana's electricity comes from wind. Below you'll see how we compare to neighboring Illinois and Ohio.

The nuclear energy is pretty interesting, I'll try to look into that another day. But as far as the wind goes... ours here in Indianapolis goes at a speed of 6.5 meter per second. Which converted into miles comes out to about 14.5 miles per hour. Look at the map below for a better understanding of why our wind turbines are where they are. Northwest Indiana is where the wind blows the hardest. Make sure you put your feet down.

Remember, this map is reading wind speed at a height of 80 METERS, and it is measured in METERS per second.

As of 2017, these are the largest distributors of wind power in the sate of Indiana.

Benton County Wind Farm (Orion Energy Group) Installed: 87 turbines

Fowler Ridge Wind Farm (BP) – Benton County Installed: 355 turbines

Headwaters Wind Farm (EDP Renewables) Installed: 100 turbines

Hoosier Wind Project (EnXco) – Benton County Installed: 53 turbines

Meadow Lake Wind Farm (Horizon Wind Energy) – White County Installed: 303 turbines

Purdue Energy Park (Performance Services) – Tippecanoe County Installed: 12 turbines

Wildcat Wind Farm (E.ON Climate & Renewables) – Madison, Tipton Counties Installed: 125 turbines

See, the Indiana wind blows regardless of if the turbines are there or not. In order to use it for energy, you're going to have to plant your feet down, and take it head on. Over these last few weeks, I allowed Indiana's wind to blow me all over the place, I quickly began to lose control of the source that once brought me power. I had to make a decision to put my feet back down.

Now, the lights are back on.

When the Indiana wind blows, I feel it.

I use it.

Indiana gives me my energy.

Just like water, it can give you life.