Climate and energy

By Dorothy Barnett

Representatives from forty-two Kansas counties recently participated in conversations about what wind development can mean to Kansas, during the American Wind Energy Association‘s Kansas Wind Belt Tour October 13-17. Presentations from the event can be found here.

The tour started in Wichita where local host Bill Bolin from the South Central Kansas Economic Development District welcomed economic development professionals plus Representative Ed Trimmer and Representative Elect Gail Finney. A stop-over in Hutchinson included a roundtable discussion with representatives from the Reno County Wind Energy Taskforce, Dave Kerr with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce, plus candidates for Reno County commission and South Hutchinson Economic Development.

On day two, the Wind Belt Tour made its way south to Liberal. Coleen Towns (Liberal Economic Development) and Patty Richardson (Great Plains Development) filled the room with chamber officials as well as economic development professionals, county commissioners, students and landowners eager to learn about the economic potential of wind energy. Chairman Carl Holmes was an honored guest at the event.

Wednesday found AWEA in Colby where Gerry Fulwider Thomas County Economic Development director introduced Susan Sloan from AWEA to share NREL’s 20% wind vision. Liz Salerno gave a detailed presentation about manufacturing opportunities in Kansas. Steve Gaw from the Wind Coalition wrapped up the presentations with a few questions for participants –

• Will Kansas get the jobs?
• Will Kansas benefit from increased revenue to state and local governments?
• Will Kansas provide the energy to meet the demand?

On Thursday the tour moved to Beloit, but not before stopping to see the Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City. Doug McKinney (North Central Regional Planning Commission), Murray McGee (Solomon Valley Economic Development) and John Matthews (North Central Kansas Technical College) were hosts to the largest event on the wind belt tour.

In addition to economic development professionals, chamber executives and business owners, Senator Janis Lee attended and participated in the question and answer session discussing KETA and the role it plays in bringing much needed transmission lines to Kansas.

AWEA’s Kansas Wind Belt Tour ended at Johnson County Community College on Friday. This event drew the largest number of legislative candidates. Paul Snider with KCP&L, along with Kansas City Area Development Council and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and JCCC all hosted this event. Several debaters from St. Thomas Aquinas in Overland Park participated in a lively discussion following the presentations.

A combined 264 people attended events during the Wind Belt Tour. This was AWEA’s first roadshow through the state of Kansas, and it was a great opportunity for AWEA to speak to community leaders, including local elected officials, economic development professionals and other stakeholders about the benefits of the U.S. and Kansas growing from a 1.5% wind economy to a 20% wind economy.

For more information on wind events in Kansas, please feel free to contact me – Dorothy Barnett, CEP Director of In-State Relations, barnett@climateandenergy.org.