Kansas Solar Energy

Kansas Solar Projects

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Existing Kansas Solar Projects

This page is a work in progress. If you know of or have a small solar project that is not listed, please contact KEIN at: webmaster@kansasenergy.org

Kansas Solar Projects list, KEIN

(Projects are listed in order of commercial operation)

Southwest Junior High Solar Panels

Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas - Southwest Junior High in Lawrence, received a 1.2 kw solar PV system to enhance classroom instruction. The solar panels were funded in part through the Bonneville Environmental Funds Solar 4 R Schools program and a local grant. Cromwell Environmental performed the installation.
(April 16, 2011)

Southwest Junior High project specs, Solar 4R Schools
Location Map
Solar 4R Schools
School receives award for solar module
(Lawrence Journal-World, Nov. 17, 2007)
6News video: Solar panels installed at SJHS
(Lawrence TV6 News, August 6, 2007)

SunChips Business Incubator solar panels

Greensburg, Kiowa County, Kansas - The Business Incubator in Greensburg has a 6.8 kw fixed solar pv system. This photovoltaics system was installed in 2008.

Case Study: Business Incubator, Greensburg GreenTown

Shawnee Mission West High Solar Panels

Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas - Shawnee Mission West's Green Energy Resource Lab was started in 2006. In 2008, they added 1.2 kw of solar pv to the roof. In 2009, a 2.4 kw Skystream wind turbine was installed to the school grounds. The solar panels produced 1,197 kwh of electricity in 2010 (a capacity factor of 11.4%).

Solar Data
Sunny Portal
School to build its first wind turbine
(Lawrence Journal-World, Jan. 18, 2009)
Final phase of Green Energy Resource Lab underway
(Shawnee Dispatch, Jan. 7, 2009)

GreenTown Silo Eco-home solar panels

Greensburg, Kiowa County, Kansas - The Greensburg GreenTown Silo Home in Greensburg has a 2 kw tracking solar system (left, photo by KEIN). This home is designed to be both energy efficient and tornado safe(r), with walls able to withstand projectiles at more than 100(?) mph. This solar system was installed in 2009.

Case Study: GreenTown Silo Eco-home, Greensburg GreenTown

Hollingsworth grid-connect PV system

Manhattan, Riley County, Kansas - In what may be the first grid-connected solar PV system for a residential home in Kansas, Mark Hollingsworth installed a 2 kw pv system on his home in Manhattan (photo, right provided by Mark Hollingsworth) in November 2009 with the help of Sunwrights Solar of Manhattan. This system is tied into Westar's system and is the first grid-tied residential system in the state.
(November 28, 2009)

Starside Elementary solar project

DeSoto, Johnson County, Kansas - For an encore in 2010, after being named the Kansas Green School of the year in 2009, Starside Elementary added four 175 kw solar panels to their roof in May 2010 (700 kw total). The Energy Savings Store (Now known as Brightergy, LLC)of Lenexa provided the panels and handled the installation. They began installing a small wind turbine on the roof of the school, too.
(May 14, 2010)

De Soto school adds solar, wind power
(Lawrence Journal-World, May 12, 2010)
De Soto's star-powered school
(DeSoto Explorer, May 11, 2010)
De Soto school hooks worms into sustainable class services
(Lawrence Journal-World, February 7, 2010)

Douglas County Jail solar thermal project

Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas - Five solar panels were added to the Douglas County jail to heat water for use. This system will heat 120 gallons of water from room temperature to 180 degrees and is designed to heat 500 gallons a day. The county expects to save $18,000 over 15 years with the system.
(May 14, 2010)

New solar panels to heat water at Douglas County Jail
(Lawrence Journal-World, June 15, 2010)
County jail moves forward on planned solar panels
(Lawrence Journal-World, March 20, 2010)

Child and Family Optometry

Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas - Touted as the largest private solar installation in Wichita by installer The Energy Savings Store (now known as Brightergy, LLC), this 22.6 kw solar pv array may also be among the largest PV array in Kansas at this point. The array consists of 105 SunPower panels, is grid-tied, and takes advantage of Kansas net metering rules in Westar Energy's territory.
(September 26, 2010)

The Energy Savings Store Case Study, September 2010

MidAmerica Bank

Baldwin City, Douglas County, Kansas - Cromwell Environmental installed a 12 kw system on MidAmerica Bank.
(September 26, 2010)

Cromwell Environmental Case Study, September 2010

Douglas County Extension Office

Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas - Cromwell Environmental installed 20 Sharp 224 watt modules for a total of 4.48 kilowatts on the Douglas County Extension Office, 2110 Harper St. See Picture to right (KEIN, 2011).
(November 26, 2010)

Sunny Portal for Douglas County Extension
Douglas County Extension Office to use sunlight for energy, education, (Lawrence Journal-World, Nov. 26, 2010)

McFarlane Aviation

Vinland, Douglas County, Kansas - This 18 kilowatt solar power system was installed for McFarlane Aviation in the Fall of 2010 by Cromwell Environmental. The system was commissioned on December 7 and installed on the standing seam roof of the hangar building using S-5! clips. These clips are specifically designed to attach the solar panels to the standing-seam roof of the building with no penetrations. SMA inverters were chosen for this project and all others for their reliability and efficiency, as well as the ability to monitor all of their systems via Sunny Portal.
(April 15, 2011)

Sunny Portal for McFarlane Aviation

Kansas Department of Transportation

A Highway near you, Kansas - The Kansas Dept. of Transportation uses solar pv for a variety of purposes along state and U.S. highways. As of April 2011, they had around 93 installations ranging in capacity from 20 to 40 watts. These solar panels are used to charge batteries which power traffic counters and weather stations. Not counted in this tally are portable message signs and school crossing beacons that the state may help install for local communities.
(May 11, 2011)

City of Lawrence cross-walk beacons

Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas - The city of Lawrence uses solar to power 17 flashing cross-walk beacons near Lawrence schools (as of April 2011). These installations are all rated at 40 watts.
(May 11, 2011)

Union Pacific Railroad

Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas - Union Pacific Railroad uses solar pv for instruments. The pictured unit is North of Lawrence and KEIN does not know how extensive U.P.'s use of solar is. We'll report it if we find out!
(May 13, 2011)

Colby Community College - Bedker Building

Colby, Thomas, Kansas - Northwest Solar Wind of Colby, Kansas recently installed a 50 kw solar pv system on the Bedker Building at Colby Community College. This system is part of a larger effort to reduce energy consumption on the college campus.
(October 20, 2011)

Solar upgrades underway at college
(Colby Free Press, September 8, 2011)

Peeper Ranch

Lenexa, Johnson, Kansas - Peeper Ranch features the largest solar installation in Kansas. With 504 solar panels and an installed capacity of 118 kw, this project increased Kansas solar capacity by nearly 33%. This project was installed by Cromwell Environmental of Lawrence.
(October 28, 2011)

Cromwell Environmental Case Study, October 2011

Alice Bean home

Lawrence, Douglas, Kansas - In 2008, Alice Bean of Lawrence had a 1.8 kw PV system installed on her home by Cromwell Environmental of Lawrence. The installation cost around $8,000 after tax credits and includes ten panels.
(January 10, 2012)

Solar energy’s bright future in Kansas
(KU Daily Kansan, April 1, 2010)
New law may lower alternative energy costs
(Lawrence Journal World, May 10, 2009)

Herb and Pat Bartels Farm

near Hillsboro, Marion, Kansas - The Bartels have a 2.6 kw solar pv system and a 2.4 kw wind turbine. Both installations are connected to the Flint Hills Rural Electric Association grid.
(January 10, 2012)

Kansas Farmers Union to host farm tours in Republic, Marion Counties
(KS Farmers Union blog, June 9, 2011)

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Last modified: 01/10/2012
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