Randall Swisher: Kansas is at Forefront of Clean Energy Frontier

More than 150 years after pioneers crossing the Plains stopped in Kansas, the state is at the forefront of a new American frontier -- wind energy.

Kansas' wind resource is ranked No. 3 in the nation, and the state is poised to play a leading role in America's energy future at a time when wind is fueling a growing bright spot in the faltering U.S. economy.

Harvesting the Kansas wind -- one of the state's most abundant natural resources -- adds value to individual farms as well as to the overall economy. If just a fraction of the state's wind energy potential were developed, Kansas would see tremendous economic benefits in the form of new jobs, investments in new manufacturing facilities, direct payments to counties, and royalties paid to owners of windy land.

Already, the state's 465 megawatts of wind energy capacity generate enough electricity to serve more than 125,000 homes. With an additional 546 megawatts of wind projects under construction, 825 construction jobs are bringing growth to the economies of towns across western Kansas. All this development makes Kansas an increasingly attractive option for manufacturing investments by wind component and turbine makers.

The exciting news is that there's plenty of room to grow. Wind will be one of the leading sources of new manufacturing jobs in the 21st century, and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius recognizes that it's time now for Kansas to get in on this expanding U.S. market.

More than $10 billion was invested in wind development nationwide at the end of 2007, and an additional $4.5 billion during the first half of this year. Kansas is in a unique position to get a piece of the action, which is crucial to the state's energy and economic future. With the governor's leadership, investments in wind energy capacity paired with investments in the power grid -- to transmit electricity from western Kansas to the cities that need it -- will pay off big for Kansans and for the nation.

Kansas has more than 4 million megawatts of wind energy potential. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory says that tapping just 7,100 megawatts of that potential would support more than 12,000 new jobs in wind power construction, operations and manufacturing; at least 11,000 more jobs in Kansas towns related to the local economic boost generated by wind investments; and $20 million to $40 million in yearly land lease payments to owners of windy land.

Wind developer payments to counties -- anticipated to be $19 million annually -- would fund better schools and roads. In addition, wind is free and not affected by the wild swings we have seen in fuel costs, so it helps keep electricity costs affordable over time. And Kansas would become a clean energy exporter -- selling its homegrown wind power to customers in neighboring states.

It's time for Kansans to lead the nation to a new energy frontier built upon homegrown, pollution-free electricity generated from the prairie's abundant winds.

Randall Swisher is executive director of the American Wind Energy Association, based in Washington, D.C.