Solar power in Kansas

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]

Solar car developed by Kansas State University

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]

Net metering

Solar panel activation during a Kansas Army National Guard assignment

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]

Statistics

Source: NREL[7]

Grid-connected PV capacity (MWp)^{[8][9][10][11][12][13]}

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%

Utility-scale solar generation in Kansas (GWh)^[14]

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

See also

• Renewable energy portal
• Energy portal
• United States portal

• List of power stations in Kansas
• Wind power in Kansas
• Solar power in the United States
• Renewable energy in the United States