HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Dillon Nature Center is one of 15 Kansas organizations that has won funding to soak up the sun’s energy as part of a project from Westar Energy announced earlier this year.
Selected projects showcased innovative plans to test the merits of solar energy under Kansas conditions and to educate students and engage the public. The projects will be located throughout eastern Kansas.
In cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the projects represent more than a $1 million investment. Each installation is between 10 and 30 kilowatts, offsetting a portion of the customers’ traditional energy demand.
The Dillon Nature Center hosts about 100,000 visitors per year and provides environmental education programs for more than 20,000 students annually. Informal use of the 23-acre park includes tourists, hikers, business meetings, weddings, dog walkers and anglers. The panels would be installed on the Visitor’s Center, which houses an exhibit gallery of interactive displays about nature, including a room called “The Forces of Nature.”
Interactive educational exhibits about solar energy will be added to accompany those exploring tornadoes, erosion, and the forces of wind and water. Classes about solar energy would also be added to the nature center’s offerings.