Port Burwell, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, may seem an unlikely hub for such activity.

Niagara Falls, which is the closest metropolitan area, is more than a two-hour drive away.

For Jim Wilgar, AIM PowerGen Corp.'s site consultant, it's an exciting project. Construction began in 2005. The project went online in July, 2006.

Wind power is the fastest-growing form of energy in the United States, though it commands only about 1 percent of the U.S. energy market.

The energy source has generated a lot of interest in the Great Lakes region, not only because of the steady winds coming off the lakes but also because of its environmental benefits.

But there's a downside: the effect on birds, bats, and other avian creatures, especially those that use the lakes region as a migratory flyway. Studies are under way to determine the extent of impact.

More than 120 of the region's policymakers and business leaders recently met in Buffalo for the first annual Great Lakes Wind Collaborative, an initiative established in 2007.

"I am confident this Great Lakes initiative will be a world leader as our binational region seeks to usher in a new era of environmental consciousness," New York Gov. David A. Paterson said.

The U.S. Department of Energy claims wind has the potential to produce $80 billion in economic activity and 300,000 jobs for the Great Lakes region.

"The potential for wind power generation in the Great Lakes region is enormous," Larry Flowers, national technical director of the Energy Department's Wind Powering America program, said.