Maybe it is because of his last name or his long history in the energy industry, but Tom Wind (BSEE’74) is bullish on the future of wind energy in Iowa.
“Wind power is on a path to reach 20 percent of the U.S. energy needs by 2030 — in Iowa, it already is at 25 percent,” Wind, the owner of Wind Utility Consulting, told a crowd last week at St. Ambrose University in Davenport. “Iowa leads the country in the percentage of electricity that comes from wind.”
The Jamaica, Iowa, man has made a career out of helping clients determine if it is economically feasible for them to install a wind turbine. The consulting engineer’s company specializes in utility planning and evaluations for municipalities, rural electric cooperatives, companies and schools. A graduate of Iowa State University, Ames, in his early career he worked in a power plant — eventually specializing in power systems and corporate planning for Iowa Southern Utilities, Centerville.