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Since earliest recorded history, windpower has been used to move ships,grind grain, and pump water. Today, windpower is also being used to provideelectricity to homes, schools, busi-nesses, and entire communities. Morethan half the United States have windresources that could support the devel-opment of utility-scale wind powerplants.
The electric utility members of theKansas Electric Utilities ResearchProgram (KEURP), partially supported by the Utility Wind Interest Group (UWIG)and the U.S. Department of Energy(DOE), began investigating windresources in Kansas in 1996.Researchers collected wind data foralmost two years at six sites in Kansasidentified as having the potential to bedeveloped as wind farms.
Wind speeds measured hourly over a 12-month period at the six sites showedmonthly average wind speeds rangingfrom 15.8 to 17 mph. A review of the datashows that spring is the windiest part ofthe year and summer is the least windy.The maximum monthly wind speedoccurred in March at two locations thathad average hourly wind speeds ofaround 20 mph.
KEURP, in partnership with the KansasCorporation Commission’s EnergyPrograms, plans to develop a Web sitedisplaying the wind data collected inKansas and other wind resource andeducation information.
Kansas Wind KioskKEURP, the Kansas CorporationCommission’s Energy Programs, andWichita State University (WSU) are alsodesigning a wind information kiosk tohelp educate people interested in windenergy about the issues related to electricity generation sources, costs,and impacts. The kiosk will house acomputer terminal that will provide information about:
1) Wind as a potential source of electricgeneration
2) Wind data taken from various sites inKansas
3) Other Web sites and sources forfurther information.
The kiosk will be located at the newOverland Park Arboretum nearKansas City and will be poweredthrough electricity generated by asmall wind turbine.
Kansas Green PowerPrograms "Green power" is power producedby renewable or environmentallyfriendly energy sources, as distinctfrom power produced by fossil fuel,nuclear, and other types of genera-tors. Customers can arrange to pur-chase a certain amount of "greenpower" (actually energy, in kilowatt-hours [kWh]) per month, for whichthey commonly pay a small pre-mium to completely or partly offsetany higher cost of renewable powersources. The policy of transferringthese costs to green power cus-tomers is called "green pricing."
Western Resources utility beganselling green power blocks throughits Westar Wind program in August 1999for $5 per 100-kWh block. The averageKansas household uses approximately300 to 500 kWh of electricity monthly.The green power will be supplied by two 750-kW Zond Systems, Inc., wind tur-bines installed by Western Resourcesnear Saint Marys, Kansas. These tur-bines are projected to produce approxi-mately 3.6 megawatts (MW) annually,enough to meet the annual power needsof approximately 400 households.Western Resources, through its KGE &KPL utilities, owns and maintains theproject.
The State of Kansas will purchase 50% ofthe 3,000 green energy blocks offeredthrough the Westar Wind Program forstate government buildings.
State Financial IncentivesThe Renewable Energy Grants Program,administered by the Kansas CorporationCommission, provides $400,000–$500,000 per year in awards of $10,000–$50,000 for renewable energytechnologies. Projects with commercial
Wind Powering America
Kansas
Clean Energy for the 21st Century
What is the installed wind energy capacity in the United States?
By January 2000, the totalU.S. installed wind energycapacity was 2500 MW.(See http://www.awea.org/faq/instcap.html) That’senough electricity to meetthe needs of 600,000 to800,000 typical U.S.homes.
applications are favored. Federal guide-lines prohibit grants made through thisprogram to go toward research anddevelopment. Applications are acceptedon an ongoing basis; however, deci-sions on program awards are madeonce a year.
State SummaryInstalled—2.86 MW
In-State Wind Energy Potential:235,200 MW capacity after land use
and environmental exclusions391 billion kWh per year electric
energy
Installed ProjectsSaint Mary's, 1.5 MW, on-line June 1999,3.6-MW project, Western Resources, two Zond Systems, Inc., Z-50 750-kW turbines.
There are currently 77 utility-integratedwind turbines owned by private individu-als and businesses.
Key ContactsKansas Corporation Commission Energy Office
1500 SW Arrowhead RoadTopeka, Kansas, 66604-4027phone (785) 271-3170 fax (785) 271-3268Jim Ploger, [email protected] Forster, [email protected]
Coriolis123 West 8th Street, Suite 305Lawrence, Kansas 66044(785) 841-1906Joe [email protected]
JAL Research Group, LLCP.O. Box 1007Topeka, Kansas 66601-1007Jerry [email protected]
Pinnacle Technology619 East 8th Street, Suite DLawrence, Kansas 66044(785) 832-8866Donna [email protected]
Legislative ContactRepresentative Carl HolmesP.O. Box 2288Liberal, Kansas 67905(316) 624-7361
Kansas
Produced for the U.S. Departmentof Energy by the NationalRenewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE national laboratory
DOE/GO-102000-0998April 2000
Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper
containing at least 50% wastepaper, including
20% postconsumer waste
Additional ResourcesNational Renewable Energy Laboratory
National Wind Technology Center1617 Cole BoulevardGolden, Colorado 80401(303) 384-6979www.nrel.gov/wind
U.S. Department of EnergyDenver Regional Support Offices1617 Cole BoulevardGolden, Colorado 80401(303) 275-4826http://www.eren.doe.gov/dro/
U.S. Department of EnergyWind Energy ProgramForrestal Building1000 Independence Ave., S.W.Washington, D.C. 20585(202) 586-5348www.eren.doe.gov/wind
American Wind Energy Association
122 C Street, NW, 4th FloorWashington, D.C. 20001phone (202) 383-2500fax (202) 383-2505www.awea.org
