After nine hours of testimony, County Commissioners in Lawrence, Kansas approved a permit to allow construction of a 600-acre solar farm near the city. Farmers and other landowners opposed the Kansas Sky Energy Center, a project financed by Evergy. Environmentalists and others supported the project that, according to Solar Energy Industries Association data, will generate …
Category: Solar Energy in Oklahoma
Farm supporters fight proposed solar project near Lawrence, Kansas
Evergy’s plan for a 600-acre solar farm near Lawrence, Kansas has generated opposition by residents who believe it will remove valuable farmland from agricultural production. It even drew the attention of noted land artist Stan Herd who created an earthwork installation that reads: “Save Prime Farmland. Relocate Utility Solar.” If Douglas County planners …
Energy quick reads
** The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) decreased its forecast for U.S. coal exports following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the resulting closure of the Port of Baltimore. In its April Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA reduced its forecasts for U.S. coal exports for April by 33% and for May by 20% from previous …
Texas power grid affected by solar eclipse on Monday
Yes, the solar eclipse affected renewable energy production in Texas. The committed capacity of ERCOT, the power grid operator in Texas, definitey dropped in solar energy. Click here for Fox 4 KDFW news
Energy quick reads
** Apple lays off more than 600 employees in California after canceling its electric vehicle development project. ** In a move signaling a shift toward a greener energy landscape, the Biden administration is considering expediting the retirement of coal-fired power plants across the United States. This development comes as part of the administration’s strategy to reduce pollution from …
Norman begins solar partnership for residential expansion
A plan to help residents of Norman acquire solar energy panels for their homes is officially underway involving the city of Norman and a private solar firm. Norman announced the partnership two weeks ago with Eight Twenty Solar company, explaining at the time it hopes to create more solar power on homes and commercial …
House Speaker changes his mind about targeting renewable energy with a production tax
You never know what politics will bring. Take for example Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall’s HB2950 which he introduced in February and included a proposed renewable energy tax…a tax he threw in after renewable energy firms fought the Right of First Refusal bill supported by utilities. The Right of First Refusal bill, HB4097 pitted …
Solar power growth reported in Missouri
The number of solar operations in the state of Missouri grew by 32% in the past year, according to a new report. At the same time, Climate Central found there was a decline in wind generation and it led to an overall drop in power from the two renewable energy sources. Missouri’s 32% gain …
Zoning fight ends over solar farm proposed near historic wetlands in central Kansas
New zoning regulations were recently adopted by Barton County Commissioners who spent the past 10 months listening to those opposed and those in support of a 2,100 acre proposed solar farm near the historic Cheyenne Bottoms wetlands in central Kansas. The exact location of the farm, proposed by Acciona, a subsidiary of Spain-based Acciona …
Developer gambles his solar farm will survive Wyoming’s hail alley
A solar power company is planning to build a 1,200-acre solar farm right in the middle of Wyoming’s hail alley. Cowboy Energy LLC is behind the $155 million project and its efforts come as a hail storm destroyed a large solar farm near Houston, Texas. Cowboy Energy’s project also isn’t far from Scottsbluff, Nebraska …