Kansas is in position to truly be a leader in an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy. Over the last few years, there have been attempts to predict wind energy’s impact on the Kansas economy based upon various economic models, but there has not been a study that uses actual empirical data from Kansas projects. To address this need, members of Polsinelli Shughart’s Wind Energy Practice, in partnership with the Kansas Energy Information Network, have prepared a report for the Kansas Legislature that analyzes empirical data from the nineteen wind projects currently in operation or under construction in the state of Kansas, with the goal of quantifying the true economic impacts of wind generation in the state.
Some of the key findings from the Report are as follows:
- Utility filings of actual costs of new non-baseload generation indicate that wind energy generation is equivalent to, or in some cases significantly cheaper than, new natural gas peaking generation;
- Kansas wind generation has created a total of 3,484 construction jobs, 262 operations and maintenance jobs, and 8,569 indirect and induced jobs for Kansas citizens;
- Wind generation in Kansas has created revenues of over $273 million for landowners;
- State wind generation has created revenues of over $208 million for community organizations and local and county governments; and
- The Kansas Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) has become an important economic development tool for attracting new businesses to the state.
To see a copy of the study go to www.polsinelli.com.
Polsinelli Shughart
www.polsinelli.com
Filed Under: News, Policy
