Descripción

Formed in 1981, Kansas Electric Utilities Research Program (KEURP) is a cooperative venture among seven electric utilities performing applied research to proactively seek and deliver technologies enhancing the value of electric services to its members, utility customers, and the state of Kansas. KEURP membership includes: Kansas Gas and Electric, Kansas Power and Light, Kansas City Power & Light Company, Midwest Energy, Inc., Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, The Empire District Electric Company, and WestPlains Energy, Inc.

The partners’ voluntary contributions total roughly $1 million per year. Leveraging of this funding resulted in over $8 million in research in 1995. Grants from EPRI, DOE, NREL and Kansas Universities supported nearly fifty research projects in 1995. Projects areas include assessment of Kansas renewable energy resources, demonstration of electric vehicles, and developing a geothermal heat pump manual. Renewable energy R&D has focused on the assessment of biomass, solar and wind. KEURP received DOE funding to conduct a wind siting study and is assessing the use of the state’s farm crops for electricity generation.