wind energy

Fort Hays State University will begin generating most of its electricity from wind turbines by the end of the summer.

After more than six years of planning and a $9 million investment, work crews are installing two 400-foot wind turbines at the university in Hays. Crews started installing the first turbine last week.

Fort Hays President Edward Hammond says the turbines should be operational by Aug. 1.

A new effort to roll back new green energy standards in Kansas utilities has stalled in the state Legislature. 

The House Energy and Environment Committee  tabled a bill today that would put off a requirement for utilities to generate at least 20 percent of its energy with renewable resources by the year 2020.  The tabled bill would rolled back the standard to 15 percent, not 20.

 Largest wind farm in Kansas now operational; Study finds racial disparities persist in state juvenile system; Senator Roberts no longer on ag panel; Lesser prairie chicken listed as threatened by federal agency.

States Largest Wind Farm Now Operational

The largest wind farm ever built in Kansas is now fully operational.

A wind energy tax credit is set to expire at the end of this year, but Gov. Sam Brownback is still holding out hope that lawmakers in Washington will extend the credit. He'd prefer to see it phased out more slowly over several years. Some critics of the credit have called it wasteful spending, but the governor says it's been the driving factor behind the wind industry in Kansas.

"I think they have a legitimate point of view, I just think it would be better off phasing it over four years," says Brownback.

Plant officials at Siemens Wind Energy in Hutchinson say new orders will help the company avoid more layoffs for now.

The plant recently received orders to supply parts for wind farms being built in Southern California and Chile.

Siemens announced in September that it was cutting 60 percent of its Hutchinson workforce. The layoffs were completed this week, leaving the plant with 150 workers.

It once had more than 400 employees. Siemens also laid off 570 people at its Fort Madison, Iowa, plant and 62 others around the country.

Council of economic advisors to the governor meets to discuss the aviation industry; Brownback speaks out about the wind Production Tax Credit; Case of electioneering surfaces in McPherson.

Gov.'s Council Meets To Discuss Growth In Aviation

The Kansas Governor's Council of Economic Advisors met in Wichita yesterday to discuss ways of increasing revenue - and the global competitiveness of the aviation industry.

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