KCP&L opens first solar farm

The sun could soon help power up your house. Kansas City Power & Lighting (KCP&L) recently opened up its first solar panel farm, and it could help you save money on your energy bill.

KCP&L officials envision a future where many have solar panels on their roofs, and the sunshine powers up your home. But before that becomes a reality, they want to figure out how best to collect the sun’s rays and use it. Officials recently installed 11,500 solar panels on farmland right outside their Greenwood, MO power plant, and they currently power up more than 400 nearby homes. Initially, customers will pay more because of the cost of the equipment, the photo-voltaic panels are not cheap. But in the long-term, customers will see lower energy bills and save money since sunlight is a free natural resource.

In recent years, KCP&L has tried to get away from depending solely on coal-fired power plants. 40-percent of its energy supply comes from wind farms, nuclear power and now, solar energy. KCP&L officials say Kansas City is one of the top ten sunniest areas in the U.S., making it ideal for solar power. They say the goal is to eventually build more solar panel farms at their other power plants before expanding the program to your rooftop.

Do you think the Kansas City will be the new home for solar power? Let us know in the comments below.