Solar power in Kansas has been growing in recent years due to new technological improvements and a variety of regulatory actions and financial incentives.[1]
It is estimated that 41.7% of electricity in Kansas could be provided by 12,500 MW of rooftop solar panels.[2]
In 2015, IKEA installed the largest solar array in the state, 730 kW on the roof of its store in Merriam.[3] In 2011, Kansas's largest solar array, 118 kW, was the rooftop installation at Peeper Ranch in Lenexa. Its output is available online.[4]
The state's net metering program allows residential installations of up to 25 kW and 200 kW non-residential on-site electrical generation to roll over any excess generation to the next month, but any excess at the end of the year is lost. Participation is limited to 1% of utility's previous year peak demand.[5] Many of the states have net metering policies that are inadequate for 100% renewable energy. Kansas was given a C for net metering and an F for interconnection policies.[6]
|
Year | Capacity | Change | % Change |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | 0.1 | 0.1 | >100% |
2011 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 100% |
2012 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 150% |
2013 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 120% |
2014 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 109% |
2015 | 4.7 | 2.4 | 104% |
2016 | 5.9 | 1.2 | 26% |
2017 | 14.9 | 9 | 153% |
2018 | 21.9 | 7 | 47% |
2019 | 46.7 | 24.8 | 113% |
2020 | 81.9 | 35.2 | 75% |
2021 | 99.1 | 17.2 | 21% |
2022 | 115 | 15.9 | 16% |
Year | Total | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2018 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2019 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2020 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
2021 | 62 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
2022 | 67 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 |