Energy

A new state loan program can help you lower your energy bills. It's called Efficiency Kansas and it uses federal stimulus money to give you low interest loans to make upgrades to your home or business. "We think it's a good way for homeowners and entrepreneurs to upgrade housing and put it on the rental market or for small businesses that are in some of the small business buildings. It's a good program for all of them. " The State Energy Office will oversee the program.

The city of Wellington is "taking charge," and it's starting to add up. The Lunchbox Diner is sporting some brand new efficient lightbulbs, using a fraction of the energy and eventually saving the business money. "I'm sure it has but it's just not showing up. But just the savings in lightbulbs is good," explains Linda Smith, the diner's owner. It's all part of a challenge for Wellington businesses and homes to become more energy efficient. " "We've swapped out over 7,000 lightbulbs so far and we've had six people, four people already receive rebates on new air- conditioning and heating units and we have two more pending so I think we're going well.

Press Release Governor Mark Parkinson May 14th, 2009 Governor Mark Parkinson has named Troy Findley as Kansas' Lieutenant Governor. "A Lieutenant Governor must meet two critical criteria: first, this person has to be ready at a moment's notice to assume the responsibility of Governor; and second, that person and I will need to work well together for the benefits of all Kansans. I'm proud to say that Troy Findley exemplifies these qualities," said Parkinson.

by Jennifer Searle (GREENSBURG, Kan.) The small Kansas town leveled by a tornado takes another step in rebuilding green. Today the city of Greensburg, Kansas Power Pool and John Deere Renewables announced plans for a Greensburg Wind Farm. Ten windmills are planned.  Those behind the project say it will be able to supply the whole town with energy. Groundbreaking on the farm could happen this summer.  Operation could begin next year

by Nathan Navrat (WICHITA, Kan.) The American Wind Energy Association ranks Kansas 10th among states with Wind Energy installations in a report released Monday. The report says Kansas added the fourth most amount of capactiy in 2008. Only Texas, Iowa, and Minnesota added more. Texas leads the nation in production. The report says, if Texas was a country, it would rank sixth in the world.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is proposing a comprehensive energy policy she says will help boost the use of renewable energy in Kansas. Sebelius told reporters Friday her legislative proposal won't include any plans for a coal-fired energy plant in western Kansas. She said the state should wait to see what rules and regulations the new Congress and the Obama administration will impose on coal plants. Her proposal allows Kansans to generate their own electricity through net metering, which enables customers to use their own generation and effectively sell back the extra electricity they produce.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Sedgwick and Saline are among the Kansas counties that could potentially gain thousands of jobs from alternative energy business. That's what a report written by the Washington, D.C.-based Renewable Energy Policy Project says. The findings were released Thursday in Wichita at a news conference announcing the formation of the Kansas Blue Green Alliance, a coalition of state labor, environmental and farm groups. The study says Kansas could create 11,500 jobs and draw $2 billion in investment in renewable energy.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Gov. Kathleen Sebelius dissolves the Kansas Energy Council. The 34-member council studies energy issues and drafts recommendations to the governor and the Legislature. For more than a year, it has faced criticism - even from some council members - that it has been ineffective. Critics say the council is too large and has representatives from too many interests. But Sebelius says she's dissolving the council because other groups are now studying individual issues.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama intends to round out his environmental and natural resources team with a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and three former Environmental Protection Agency officials from the Clinton administration. The president-elect has selected Steven Chu for energy secretary, Lisa Jackson for EPA administrator, Carol Browner as his energy "czar" and Nancy Sutley to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Democratic officials said Wednesday.

By Megan Strader (WICHITA, Kan.) If you've been thinking for awhile that it's time to replace a hot water heater or a furnace for something a little more energy efficient, there may no a better time than in 2009. Starting January first certain renovations to your house could earn you a tax credit come 2010. "I think it motivates people to do upgrades they might not otherwise do, which eventually is a benefit to everybody," says Wess Galyon, President and Ceo, Wichita Builders Association.