Kansas Windfarm Begins Operations

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Ørsted A/S (Fredericia, Denmark) said last week its new windfarm in Kansas has started operations. Industrial Info is tracking more than $6 billion worth of renewable-energy projects in Kansas, with more than $5 billion attributed to wind power.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewables accounted for 47% of Kansas's net electricity generation in 2022--and wind power provided about 99% of that. Last year, Kansas had the third-largest share of electricity generated from wind among all states.

The EIA also notes that as of February 2023, the state had nearly 8,250 megawatts (MW) of installed wind generating capacity.

Orsted's $350 million Sunflower Windfarm in Marion, Kansas will add to that capacity, utilizing 70 turbines from General Electric (GE) (NYSE:GE) (Boston, Massachusetts) to produce 200 MW--enough to power more than 70,000 homes per year. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here to read a detailed project report.

Another Kansas wind project is NextEra Energy Incorporated's (NYSE:NEE) (Juno Beach, Florida) $1.1 billion High Banks Windfarm in Republic, in the north-central part of the state, bordering Nebraska. The facility will use more than 200 GE wind turbines to generate about 600 MW. The project is expected to be completed in late 2024. Subscribers can click here for more details.

In terms of projects in development, NextEra is looking at building the 300-MW, $320 million Wild Plains Wind Project in Sumner County, in the far southern part of the state. Construction is tentatively expected to begin in fourth-quarter 2024. Click here for the project report.

Although wind power dominates Kansas' renewables mix, the state also is home to solar projects. Algonquin Power & Utilities Corporation (NYSE:AQN) (Oakville, Ontario), through its Liberty Utilities unit, plans to add a 50-MW solar facility at its Neosho Ridge Windfarm in Thayer. The approximately 300-MW windfarm began operating in mid-2021. Click here for more information on the solar addition.

Meanwhile, Invenergy (Chicago, Illinois) is developing the Pixley Solar Plant in Barber County, which would utilize photovoltaic (PV) solar panels for 189 MW of solar generation. Click here to read more information.

Clean energy originating in Kansas has the potential to be transported, and Invenergy aims to do just that--should its Grain Belt Express Transmission Line project come to fruition. The 800-mile line would carry wind energy from Kansas to Indiana and be built in two phases: one segment between Kansas and Missouri and the other between Missouri and Indiana. The project already has been approved by regulators in Kansas, Missouri and Indiana, although the Illinois state approval is currently being litigated in appellate court.

The U.S. Department of Energy is drafting its initial environmental impact statement on the first phase and expects to enter a record of decision next summer. Construction is expected to begin as soon as the beginning of 2025.

Subscribers can click here for a list of related project reports.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Database can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).