Evergy has plans to build a solar facility in eastern Lyon County, and it has started reaching out to landowners.
Evergy Director of Corporate Communications Gina Penzig says Evergy is in the exploration process for a possible solar energy site near the Emporia Energy Center. Initial outreach is taking place for landowners near the facility, with a range of information meetings for residents, local governments and the media to come, along with what Penzig calls “stakeholder outreach.”
Several components of this plan are not being divulged at this time, including the potential acreage of a solar development, the number of solar array panels that may be installed and the exact location in relation to the Emporia Energy Center. Penzig also says the potential solar facility is among several either under consideration or in the planning stage to help meet growing demand for electricity — and it is not connected to any individual customer. Solar power systems can be linked to data centers because of the need for significant power. The Solar Energy Industries Association says solar energy can be used to help meet the power need, but despite it being “scalable,” solar power has to have battery storage to keep the electricity flow constant.
The Emporia Energy Center near Roads 200 and S went online in 2009.
