A new KCP&L solar facility will generate electricity to power 440 homes from 11,500 ground-mount solar panels on a 12-acre site in Greenwood, MO, about 30 miles southeast of Kansas City, MO.
This is the electric utility’s first solar power facility, and it is almost 100-times larger than the KCP&L solar array many Kansas Citians have seen at Kauffman Stadium. The system, which was constructed by Sungevity, will produce 4,700-megawatt hours of electricity annually.
”Solar technology is constantly getting better and more efficient,” said Chuck Caisley, KCP&L’s vice president for marketing and public affairs. “That translates into a more cost-effective renewable energy for our customers. We are investing in solar because of its relatively quick construction and our commitment to a sustainable future.”
KCP&L’s first solar facility is located at its Greenwood Energy Center, a natural-gas power plant that is used when electricity is at peak demand.
“We believe strongly that utilities will play a major role in solar energy’s future adoption, and applaud KCP&L’s forward thinking approach for this site,” said Dave Dunlap, Sungevity’s chief development officer.
Earlier this year, KCP&L announced an additional 500 megawatts of wind power and new energy-efficiency programs for its Missouri customers. Missouri has renewable portfolio standards (RPS) that require utilities operating in the state to generate a specified percentage of its energy from renewable sources like solar. KCP&L reports that these projects put the utility ahead of RPS compliance dates and percentages in Missouri.
“KCP&L believes in renewable energy and for the last decade we’ve added a significant amount of carbon-free energy to our generation portfolio, including more renewable energy. Currently, more than 40 percent of our retail customer demand is met through emission-free energy,” said Caisley. “We believe that solar is a critical part of our energy future.”
KCP&L’s sustainability statement and Missouri Renewable Energy Standard Compliance Report can be found on its website at KCP&L.
