<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654870616319.png" alt="A rendering shows the massive solar farm Kansas City officials are planning at Kansas City International Airport. The city plans to look for a developer soon (photo submitted). " />
 <figcaption>A rendering shows the massive solar farm Kansas City officials are planning at Kansas City International Airport. The city plans to look for a developer soon (photo submitted). </figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/10/kansas-city-moves-ahead-with-study-of-massive-solar-farm-at-kci-airport/">Missouri Independent</a>Thousands of undeveloped acres near 
Kansas City International Airport could one day house one of the 
nation’s largest airport solar farms, capable of powering as much as 
one-third of Kansas City’s homes.Kansas City has completed a 
feasibility study that outlines steps and challenges to bring a 
utility-scale solar farm to KCI. In the coming months, City Manager 
Brian Platt said, the city will solicit proposals from solar energy 
developers to work on the project.“It’s our vision and goal to lead the 
way and to lead the charge with thinking outside the box and being bold 
and aggressive and innovative with trying to make any progress on 
fighting climate change here and reducing our carbon emissions,” Platt 
said.The solar farm could have a capacity 
of 285 megawatts, according to the forthcoming feasibility study, with 
the appropriate upgrades to grid infrastructure. If crews cleared trees 
and other environmental features, the site could produce more like 500 
megawatts, enough to power about one-third of the city’s homes.Mayor Quinton Lucas said he’s been impressed by how large the facility could be.&nbsp;“I mean, not just powering the 
facilities, not just powering the airport,” Lucas said, “but you’re 
talking about in the course of a few years, powering the entire 
Northland.”&nbsp;It’s not the first attempt to bring a 
solar farm to the airport. Evergy, the investor-owned utility serving 
the Kansas City metro, scrapped plans in late 2020 for a smaller solar 
array atop a parking garage now under construction as part of the 
airport’s new terminal, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://energynews.us/2020/12/10/glare-study-prompts-utility-evergy-to-cancel-solar-array-at-kansas-city-airport/">Energy News Network</a>. An engineering study found that arrangement could create a glare affecting air traffic controllers.The utility’s spokeswoman, Gina 
Penzig, said in an email that Evergy is reviewing the feasibility study,
 completed by the Kansas City Aviation Department and two engineering 
firms.&nbsp;“The
 study is encouraging, noting solid options to build meaningful solar at
 the airport,” Penzig said. “We remain interested in partnering with the
 city to build solar at KCI.”Evergy declined to comment further.Last year, the utility <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/23/evergy-scales-back-plans-to-add-solar-power-by-2024-will-keep-lawrence-plant-partially-open/">scaled back plans to add 700 megawatts of solar by 2024</a>.After the first iteration stalled, 
Platt said Kansas City officials are driving the process “with much more
 emphasis and focus and aggressiveness.”&nbsp;“So we’re, we’re taking a new approach,” Platt said, “and we’re making sure that we get it done either way.”&nbsp;The facility would have to be reviewed
 by the Southwest Power Pool, the regional grid Evergy belongs to. 
Upgrades to the grid necessary to accept all that new power could prove 
costly —&nbsp; estimated to be $62 million. But the feasibility study noted 
an interconnection study by SPP and Evergy would be necessary to 
determine that.The feasibility study recommends 
officials take a phased approach. As a first phase, it suggests building
 a 35 megawatt array of more than 96,000 panels near the southern end of
 the site. It would take between $9 million and $15 million to upgrade 
the grid to accept all that power.&nbsp;Platt said the plan could include 
building community-scale solar arrays small enough to not trigger 
studies by utility regulators while obtaining approval for the larger 
farm.&nbsp;“We want to balance both,” Platt said.
 “We want to do a big production facility but also begin production as 
quickly as possible.”The feasibility study did not outline a firm timeline, but regulatory and permitting processes could take several years.&nbsp;Platt said the city could break ground on those smaller community-scale solar installations by the end of next year.&nbsp;Officials haven’t settled on a financing scheme for the solar farm, Platt said.&nbsp;

Kansas City moves ahead with study of massive solar farm at KCI airport