Because of Illinois' unique access to plentiful and diverse sources of energy, businesses can count on long-term rate stability, keeping their bottom line under control. In addition, the diverse natural resources of Illinois provide a broad array of energy options.
FACTS ABOUT ILLINOIS ENERGY RESOURCES :
- Illinois has an abundant supply of electric capacity (45,000 megawatts), and produces 190 billion kilowatts per year at 61 facilities.
- Illinois is the nation's leader in the production of nuclear power, generating approximately 90.9 billion kilowatt hours with 11 nuclear units.
- Coal underlies 37,000 square miles of Illinois – about 65% of the state's surface.
- Recoverable coal reserves account for almost 1/8 of total US reserves and account for more BTUs than the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
- 47 percent of Illinois' electricity is generated by coal-fired facilities located throughout the state.
- In recent years, approximately half (49 percent) of the electricity sold by utilities and alternative retail electric power suppliers in Illinois have been generated by nuclear facilities.
BIOFUELS
The state recently launched the Renewable Fuels Development Program, a biofuels program to provide grants for the construction of new biofuels production facilities in Illinois.
Through its Renewable Fuels Research, Development and Demonstration Program, the state works with Illinois' industrial and agricultural organizations to actively promote and expand the use of ethanol as a clean, renewable transportation fuel. Here are examples of what the program has done:
- Managing ethanol test and demonstration projects designed to market ethanol as a viable energy source and to encourage economic growth.
- Supporting demonstration projects to develop and test a new ethanol fuel blend known as E-Diesel. If successful, the demand for ethanol would increase by more than 750 million gallons annually, utilizing an additional 300 million bushels of corn each year.
- Supporting the construction of a $20 million National Ethanol Research Pilot Plant at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. The plant will produce ethanol like a private manufacturer, but lease space and time to private companies and other universities to test their technological ideas and inventions.
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Through the Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Program, the state is helping manufacturers manage their energy expenses by making cost-effective efficiency improvements. The program helps firms identify best practices in energy management that can be rapidly incorporated, and then moves to coaching firms in their implementation of the new management practices with the state supporting 50% of those costs.
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