Midwest Energy solar array is first of its kind in Kansas (VIDEO)

Donna Cooper, Hays, writes her name on the back of her MWE solar panel. (Photo courtesy MWE)

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Donna Cooper, a retired Hays High School science teacher, had a big smile on her face as she signed her name on the back of a solar panel in “her” row at the new Midwest Energy solar array just north of Colby.

Cooper, a longtime advocate of renewable energy, was one of about 100 people who gathered for the April 23 dedication and ribbon cutting on East Memorial Veterans Drive.

It is the first solar farm in Kansas.

“Solar energy has been developing rapidly the last five to ten years,” said Earnie Lehman, MWE president and general manager. “We saw it developing in other states.”

mwe solar sign — The Midwest Energy solar farm is just north of Colby. It is the first solar array in Kansas.

“In 2010, we became aware of Clean Energy Collective, based in Colorado, which had the concept of community solar collectives, rather than rooftop panels which can be disrupted by trees or in congested areas.

“We began long and intensive talks with CEC to bring community solar to Kansas,” Lehman said.

Hays-based Midwest Energy queried customers in 2011 and 2012 to find out if they would be interested in solar power.

“There was a much higher interest than we expected,” said Pat Parke, MWE vice-president of customer service.

Watching the ribbon cutting is Rep. Billinger (yellow tie); cutting are Clean Energy Collective VP for Development Jim Hartman; MWE General Manager Earnie Lehman, and Sen. Ostmeyer; right of him is Rep. Hineman. — At the ribbon cutting were Rep. Rick Billinger, Goodland; Clean Energy Collective VP for Development Jim Hartman, MWE General Manager Earnie Lehman, Sen. Ralph Ostmeyer, Grinnell; and Rep. Don Hineman, Dighton.

Today there are 3,960 panels on the 6-acre site of the 1-megawatt community solar array. Nearly 60% of the panels have been purchased by Midwest Energy electric customers in western and central Kansas serving residential, commercial, oil, irrigation and agricultural accounts.

“The project was engineered, designed and constructed by Clean Energy Collective,” explained Parke.

“MWE has an agreement to purchase the electricity that is produced here, much like we would buy the electricity that is produced from a wind farm or a coal-fired power plant. It’s called a Purchase Power Agreement.

MWE solar panel row, Colby — Midwest Energy solar panel row

“The CEC sells one or more panels to the customer, so the customer takes ownership of the panel(s) but the project is still managed by CEC.

“Midwest Energy’s role is to buy the electricity and then put a credit on that customer’s electric bill monthly. The total output of the entire facility is divided up proportionally depending on how many panels the customer owns. We (MWE) are paying for the electricity by putting the credit on the customer’s bill,” Parke said.

The Colby site was chosen for its ideal solar exposure rating and includes state-of-the-art inverters combined with high efficiency 305-watt solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, according to CEC.

The array features an advanced solar tracking system—the first-ever solar tracking system used in a community-owned solar facility developed by Clean Energy Collective. Four motors tilt the solar panels to follow the sun throughout the day.

Solar panel owners get a credit of 10.5 cents for each kilowatt hour their panels generate on their monthly electric bill. Midwest Energy estimates each panel will deliver roughly $57 a year in credits, for a 6.4 percent rate of return.

Find out more about the Midwest Energy solar garden in Colby with Eagle Communications’ Mike Cooper on Community Connection.