Resourceful Kansas Program Working Toward a Less Energy-Intensive, More Efficient Economy

Riley County, Kansas is generating its own electricity through wind and solar power and could save taxpayers up to $80,000 a year. As reported by Lindsey Elliott for KTKA News, the Riley County Public Works Department used a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to install various types of renewable energy systems to power its facilities. And as part of the Resourceful Kansas Program the County wants to encourage the rest of the state to follow its example.

Part of the grant will be used to hold seminars to show other counties, school districts, universities, agribusinesses, and organizations how they can use the experience of Riley County's renewable energy installations and to teach students about renewable energy.

According to Lindsey Geisler in Energy.gov, the Riley Country Public Works facilities have four wind turbines, various types of solar-powered street lighting, and energy efficient lighting fixtures, in addition to the ground source heat pump and solar thermal hot water system they already had.

Riley County's partners in the Resourceful Kansas Program include GBA Architects and Engineers and Kansas State University. After the seminars, GBA Architects and Engineers will do a free energy audit for some of the participants to help them determine the most cost-effective and beneficial energy options. Kansas State University sends experts to present at the seminars and will use the data from the Riley County installations for research and teaching.

As indicated by GBA Architects and Engineers, the Resourceful Kansas program is intended to encourage communities throughout the state to make a fundamental change toward a less energy-intensive, more efficient economy. Riley County was one of 20 communities in the U.S. selected to receive the Department of Energy grant from among 200 applicants.

Resourceful Kansas is a multi-step program with the first step being the installation of the renewable energy systems for the Riley County Public Works facilities. GBA Builders, LLC has provided services for installing the four wind turbines of 100kW, 40 kW, 20kW and 2.5kW, the solar-powered street lights, a solar photovoltaic system, and a solar under-floor heating system. It was also ensured that the Riley County Public Works facilities incorporated green building and maintenance practices in order to save taxpayer dollars by being energy efficient.

The Kansas State University Wind Applications Center will compare the energy generated by the wind turbines at the Riley County Public Works facilities with data from a meteorological tower in order to develop an electrical system based on small localized microgrids.

During the project, the results will be monitored and evaluated, comparing projected energy savings with actual savings, and estimated costs versus actual costs. The results will be part of a public outreach program to disseminate the lessons learned throughout Kansas and the region.

Sources:

Lindsey Elliot, Riley County kicks off Resourceful Kansas project, KTKA News

Lindsey Geisler, Resourceful Kansas Puts Energy Efficient Technology on Display, Demonstrates Cost-Saving Benefits, Energy.gov

The Resourceful Kansas Program, Resourceful Kansas