Both Marion and Hillsboro are candidates for a Kansas Power Pool project to build arrays of solar panels to generate electricity in nine Kansas cities. In November, Hillsboro approved leasing land to KPP for the solar array. Marion approved leasing land Jan. 22. Hillsboro city administrator Matt Stiles said KPP started eyeing building solar panel arrays 11 months ago. “They directly engaged with us in June, and we approved participation in November,” Stiles said. To build the panels, KPP applied for a forgivable loan from Rural Utilities Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Powering Affordable Clean Energy program. “Right now there’s a lot of support, and there are a lot of federal programs that people are taking advantage of,” Stiles said. If KPP’s application is successful, the company plans to build solar arrays in Hillsboro, Marion, Clay Center, Ellinwood, Greensburg, Kingman, Mulvane, Wellington, and Winfield. While waiting to see whether the forgivable loan is approved, KPP is doing feasibility studies on the potential locations. Hillsboro plans for the array to be built west of its wastewater facility. The array is expected to cover seven acres. Marion plans its array to be built north of the county transfer station.
Source: HILLSBORO Star-Journal
