A report released by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) shows Illinois led the nation in wind turbine installations in 2011, installing a total of 404 turbines across the State. Illinois was behind only California in the amount of power generated by these new turbines.

The Chicago Sun-Times highlighted the AWEA report with a focus on an Elgin based wind energy manufacturing company that is benefiting from the dramatic increase in wind energy use. In the last eleven years, Winergy Drive Systems Corporation has grown to employ more than 200 employees and is one of twenty-eight Illinois based companies that produce parts for the wind energy industry.