With more sunny days than Florida, Kansas has untapped solar potential. Increased solar growth would grow the clean-energy economy, reduce utility bills, and promote grid resiliency. Climate + Energy Project and members of the Clean Energy Business Council have been leading the charge to fight against unfair policies that thwart solar adoption. Looking ahead, CEP will continue to advocate for fair energy policies that will increase access to widespread solar adoption.
County Solar Regulations
As planning commissions across Kansas begin to consider what role utility scale solar can play in their counties, it’s important to think about the latest news from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Our planet is warming at an unprecedented rate, (over 1.°C since 1880). Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe (including right here at home). Global warming of 1.5°C will be met by 2040 unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades.
Past Solar Briefings
CEP, Kansas Interfaith Action, and the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club recently held briefings to discuss the current state of solar regulations in Douglas and Johnson Counties.
Slides on how to get involved at the county level, as well as current state legislation, are available here.
Resources Shared at the Briefings
The Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club has an in depth FAQ about Utility-Scale Solar in Kansas that you can view here. The Center for Rural Affairs has a report, Making the Case for Solar Grazing, which addresses agrovoltaics that you can view here.
Kansans for Clean Energy
Kansans for Clean Energy is broad coalition of agriculture, energy, and environmental and faith-based organizations from across the state educating and advocating for clean energy.
They represent thousands of members who support renewable energy for job creation, rural prosperity, and a wise use of our natural resources including water and clean air. Home-grown Kansas Energy provides a bright economic future for Kansas.
If you’re a Johnson County resident who supports solar development in your county, Kansans for Clean Energy currently has a campaign to send a postcard to the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners on your behalf.
Engaging at the State Legislature
The Kansas Legislature consists of a 125-member House of Representatives and a 40-member Senate. The Legislature convenes on the second Monday in January for an annual session and generally adjourns in early May.
There are currently several Anti-Renewable Energy Bills at the Statehouse that we are watching closely. Follow our weekly Legislative Updates that drop every Friday afternoon. If you would like to engage with the Legislature online, some tips for navigating the website are shared below:
The Kansas State Legislature’s website, http://kslegislature.org, houses information and resources pertaining to the Senate, the House, Committees, Bills, Proceedings, and related documents during the legislative session.
You can easily search for a bill on the left-hand column of the website homepage. Click find a bill, enter the number (ex: SB 353), and hit enter or click Lookup.
After searching for a Bill, the website will take you to a page where you can track all information related to said bill. Here you will find a short introduction to the bill, a pdf version, and history of where it’s at in the legislature. You can also find original and current sponsors.
To view a committee, you can click on the hyperlink on a Bill information page, or you can click on the committees tab at the top of the website. Here you will find information about meetings and agendas, Chairs and members, the Committee Assistant and contact information, as well as Bills, Resolutions, and Appointments that are in Committee or have been sponsored.
Another useful tool during the legislative session is the Audio/Video tab at the top of the website. Click on Statehouse Live & Archive to view current and previous livestreams of legislative proceedings.
On the Statehouse Live & Archive page, you’ll find a calendar that you can navigate to specific dates. On any given date, you can scroll down to see all proceedings scheduled for that day in the Senate and the House.
Once you click on a proceeding, you will see a page similar to this, which will show you proceeding description, the schedule, and contact information. You will see a livestream, or a recording if the proceeding has already passed.
