Kansas is well on its way to becoming a national leader in ethanol production, but it’s falling behind when it comes to wind energy, Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson said Saturday. “We are the second- or third-best state for wind farms in the country, but we only have three major wind farms,” he said during an interview at the Globe. “The two obstacles that have prevented us from advancing beyond that are the lack of transmission lines and the lack of cooperative rate decisions from the Kansas Corporation Commission.” He said he thought the state can fix the problem of moving wind-generated electricity by providing incentives for utility companies to build transmission lines, and state officials could encourage the Kansas Corporation Commission to take the cost of building wind farms into account when it makes rate decisions.

AMARILLO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 24, 2006--Xcel Energy has issued a request for proposals for about 40,500 megawatt-hours of annual renewable energy or renewable energy certificates to be generated from renewable technologies other than wind turbines.

The state has formed an energy coalition, which has a goal to find ways to secure 25 percent of the nation's energy production from renewable resources by 2025.

Funds are now in place to begin a four-year study to establish what impacts, if any, wind power facilities have on prairie-chicken demography and population genetics.

Some of the state's top utility lawyers battled Wednesday over whether Westar Energy should get a chance to earn extra profit for adding wind power to the electric system that serves 674,000 customers. At issue is a law-- passed during the energy crisis of the 1970s -- to allow state regulators to boost the profit potential for utilities that develop alternative energy and conservation programs.

General Electric (nyse: GE - news - people ) announced an investment in three windparks planned by Nobel Environmental Power in New York that would expand the state's wind energy capacity by 70%, and Empire District Electric (nyse: EDE - news - people ) announced it had signed an agreement to purchase power from Horizon Wind Energy's Cloud County Wind Farm in Kansas.

Wind farm advocate and beneficiary Pete Ferrell had one message Thursday night for supporters of the Ellis County wind farm proposal: Make an effort to win hearts and minds now... • On noise: "I can hear the turbines from my home, and I didn't expect to (Ferrell's home is 1 mile from the nearest wind turbine). The odd thing is that I can hear it on days when it's not blowing that hard. When it's blowing hard, the wind covers the sound. It sounds like a river in the distance."... • On construction of the wind farm: "It was very hard. OK, it was a nightmare. Thank God it was professional done and it was over in six months."

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' administration Thursday was in damage control mode over its decision to reject two massive coal-fired plants in western Kansas. In a speech to a Rotary Club in Topeka, Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson repeatedly emphasized development of alternative energy projects in western Kansas, and the accompanying economic activity. ..."I think they are trying to create a vision that things are all perfect," said Kreutzer, a plumbing and mechanical supply contractor. But, he said, denial of the coal-fired plants has chased off a lot of potential development in the region. And Sebelius' refusal to allow the plants to be constructed has produced a potential political standoff, he said.

This means, said Anderson, that they are seeking to impose a requirement that all companies purchase a certain amount of their energy from this renewable source. “The problem is that no one wants to buy the energy they are producing because of the high cost involved,” said Anderson. “However, they are pushing hard and I don't know at this time whether they will be successful or not.”

Another petition regarding the proposed Ellis County wind farm was presented to the Ellis County clerk Thursday. This one requests a complete moratorium on the project and consists of 760 signatures. The document does not protest wind energy, but requests cautious and balanced deliberation before the county proceeds, states the cover letter, which is endorsed by the Ellis County Environmental Awareness Coalition.

Commissioner Duane Patrick brought up the “elephant in the room” in regard to wind farms in Kansas and the payment in lieu of taxes issue.

The best payoff for wind energy isn't in putting up a bunch of turbines, generating way more power than you'll ever use and selling juice back to the power company. Rather, it's in generating just a portion of your total power consumption, at least so long as power companies buy power at a fraction of what they charge for it. ...Brown explained that building enough generating capacity to run a school and selling back any excess power isn't really viable in Kansas right now because of the low rates utilities pay for that power.

NORTH NEWTON, KAN. – After two years of traveling and stays in 12 galleries around the state, “Homage to the Flint Hills,” an exhibit of 37 pieces of art (mostly paintings and photographs), will make its last stop at Bethel College’s Kauffman Museum March 14-May 31.

The protest petition process was a primary concern of commissioners. Henman requested clarification regarding the allotted time frame and protest area. The terminology regarding the allowed time frame differs slightly in the Ellis County Joint Planning Commission Procedural Guide and the adopted Ellis County Zoning Regulations. Davidson said that has caused confusion. Protest petitions must be filed with the Ellis County Clerk within 14 days after the Planning and Zoning Commission makes a decision, which means the hearing is closed, Davidson said. However, if there ever is discrepancy between these two documents, the zoning regulations would take precedence, he said.

GREAT BEND - Barton County Commissioners delayed a decision Monday on zoning for non-commercial wind turbines until the state's secretary of Wildlife and Parks could speak to them. No resolution was adopted, according to Barton County Clerk Donna Zimmerman. Instead, Secretary Mike Hayden was tentatively planning on meeting with the group April 2 to discuss the building of wind turbines near Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area.

A House committee endorsed a bill Thursday that ties two proposed coal-fired power plants in southwest Kansas to proposals for promoting wind and other renewable energy sources. Supporters used the same strategy last year in an unsuccessful effort to clear the way for the coal plants despite Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' opposition.

Wind energy and coal plants are two buzz phrases seeing plenty of play in Kansas newspapers lately. The perception seems to be wind and solar power are the cleaner alternative over coal, but coal, according BPU General Manager Rick Anderson, is what makes BPU's rates the lowest in Kansas. "BPU has a contractual arrangement with Westar Energy to provide electricity from our turbine generators and in turn Westar provides us with our energy," Anderson said. The arrangement has kept BPU's average rates to 3.8 cents per kWh, well below the average of 8.1 cents for nationally publicly owned utilities and 7.6 for Kansas publicly owned utilities. ...House of Representatives Speaker Melvin Neufeld touched on the need for a sound energy policy in his 2008 Republican Legislative Vision speech. "Alternative energies like wind and solar power can play an important role in our state's energy portfolio, but the simple fact is wind turbines and sunshine alone cannot meet our growing demand for electricity," Neufeld said.

Republican Jim Barnett thinks hydrogen could be a major player in Kansas’ energy future. Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius says the state should try incentives for contractors to build more energy-efficient housing. The candidates in this fall’s governor’s race offer different ideas for future energy needs and generation in Kansas. But both agree on Kansas’s current situation: The status quo must change. Both say Kansas must seek to depend less on energy created outside the state. They say clean-burning energy should be a priority and agree that global warming is a concern.

Yesterday morning, Wednesday, June 20th, on the second floor of the Ellis County Court House, history was made: Citizens brought in the first ever protest petition since the county's adoption of zoning regulations and procedures. The protest petition was submitted by the Ellis County Environmental Awareness Coalition, ECEAC, to Alberta Klaus, County Clerk. The purpose of the protest petition is to allow citizens to express opposition to the land use application submitted by CPV Wind Hays for the construction of a wind project south and west of Prairie Acres.

In a unanimous vote Thursday night, the Hays City Commission enacted a moratorium against wind development in the city. The intent is to give the Hays Area Planning Commission a chance to examine issues relating to wind towers and develop regulations to govern those towers. ..."We just don't have any ordinances to deal with towers," City Attorney John T. Bird said. "If we don't have any regulations, then it's a free for all." Mayor Barbara Wasinger said proceeding with caution is important.