Holland has it. California has it. Kansas and other prairie states have it, so why shouldn't Kane County?

What is it? Wind. And according to Michael Hoadley, director of business development for the Chicago-based consultant firm of GSY Energy Inc., Kane County has a lot of wind.

"There's a wind blowing across the prairie, and you are in the way in Kane County," Hoadley told members of the county's energy and environmental committee recently.

Hoadley said Kane County has several wind tunnels and wind pockets where turbines up to 130 feet tall could be used to produce new energy. The turbines could be used to produce energy for everything from street lights to water pumping stations, he said.

"Wind energy can increase revenues and reduce costs," Hoadley said.

Committee members expressed some concern about where such turbines would be located.

"My concern is -- and wind energy is great and should be supported -- but is it viable in Kane County?" asked James Mitchell, R-North Aurora. "We don't want to spend a lot of money if it's not going to work. "

He also said county officials would have to look at residential developments and determine what people will allow the county to do in terms of turbines.

GSY president Andre de Rosa said the siting of turbines is very important.

"There are open areas in Kane County that could be set aside for wind development," he said. "Your wind corridor is on the west side of the county."

De Rosa said the county's north side also would be a good site for turbines.

Wind power has become increasingly popular as states and counties look for greener and less expensive ways to create energy. And now that President Barack Obama's stimulus package has been approved, there are federal dollars and grants available for wind power, Hoadley said.

"In terms of getting your game plan together -- not to put too fine a point on it -- the time is now," Hoadley said, noting that Illinois stands to gain some $24 billion for green energy from the stimulus package.

Hoadley said studies would need to be conducted to determine where the best "wind resources" are to make a wind energy program cost beneficial. He said that wind resources can change within 100 feet.

"But there is a natural corridor from Mendota to Geneva," he said.

Committee members did not have a chance to discuss actually working with GSY Energy on a wind power program, but they did give a strong indication that the county would be interested in investigating the matter further.