COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Just one day after the announcement of his new state energy plan, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has announced financial support for a major project in the Miami Valley using wind power.

Strickland is granting up to $3 million to the Buckeye Wind Project, which plans to build wind-power generation project in Logan and Champaign counties.

The Buckeye Wind project is being developed by the New York-based Everpower Renewables Corporation.

In an interview with WHIOTV.COM, Kevin Sheen, Everpower Vice President of development, said the basic goal of the project is to produce electricity from a clean and renewable energy source.

“Wind power, which is the fastest growing source of energy today, gives us an opportunity to produce power on a large scale without some of the harmful emissions that some other sources of power have,” Sheen said.

Sheen said Logan and Champaign represent one area that has wind power potential, thanks to a glacial ridge that formed millions of years ago.

The wind generators will produce enough electricity to power 30,000 homes.

Sheen said a portion of the project will be installed and operational by June of 2009.

The $3 million grant to the Buckeye Wind Project is just one of two announced by the state Thursday.

The other project to win state funding is the JW Great Lakes’ Wood County Wind Farm near Bowling Green, Ohio.

To learn more about the Buckeye Wind Project, see their Web site at: www.buckeyewindproject.com.

Jim.otte@whiotv.com