Richten Energy’s Coloured Solar Technology Takes Root in Kansas as Western Kansas Motorsports Museum Is Selected for US Demonstration Project

Richten Energy Founder and CEO Weili Hsueh (second from left) visits a motorsports venue in Dodge City, Kansas, with Mayor Daniel Pogue (fourth from left), Josh Adams, Director of Development Services and Inspections at the City of Dodge City (fourth from right), and local partners. The visit explored potential applications of coloured solar technology in buildings as part of Taiwan–US cooperation on net-zero buildings. (Photo courtesy of Richten Energy.)

The company travelled to Dodge City on 27 September after showcasing its coloured solar façade technology at the Smart Energy Pavilion of Taiwan Expo USA 2026 in Dallas from 24 to 26 September. On 29 September, the team assessed the planned museum site and agreed on the location with local partners. The next stage will examine the building design, electricity supply, construction requirements and long-term operation and maintenance.

The visit took discussions beyond the exhibition floor and into the practical requirements of municipal planning, building design and local development. Hsueh met Mayor Daniel Pogue; City Manager Nick Hernandez; Chris Boys, Ford County’s 2nd District Commissioner; Ben Rumbaugh, Interim County Administrator; Joann Knight, Executive Director of the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation; Mollea Lightner, Assistant Director of Economic Development at the corporation; and City Engineer Tanner Rutschman, among other local representatives.Discussions focused on the suitability of building façades, local construction capabilities, energy applications and how the demonstration project could meet community needs.

The planned Western Kansas Motorsports Museum site in Dodge City, Ford County, Kansas. Following an assessment with local partners, Richten Energy selected the location for a proposed US demonstration project using its coloured solar technology.

The museum forms part of Dodge City’s historic district revitalisation plans and is expected to showcase the region’s motorsport heritage. Richten Energy has proposed incorporating visual designs into the solar façade to reflect that heritage, while exploring how electricity generation data could support future energy education exhibits. The artwork, installation methods and exhibition content will be developed further with the museum and local engineering teams.

“Dallas gave us a chance to listen to the market. In Dodge City, we stood in front of the building and looked closely at the local culture, its structure and its electricity needs,” said Hsueh. “If the museum’s façade can tell the story of motorsport in western Kansas while showing visitors how electricity is generated, Taiwan’s technology can become part of everyday life in the community.”

Richten Energy meets state and local representatives at the Ford County Government Center in Kansas to discuss cooperation on the proposed coloured solar demonstration project. From left: Tanda Bartlett, Deputy County Administrator, Ford County; Melissa Drake, Planning and Zoning Director, Ford County; Joann Knight, Executive Director of the Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation; Chris Boys, Ford County’s 2nd District Commissioner; April Chiang, Assistant Director of Export Promotion, International Division, Kansas Department of Commerce; and Richten Energy Founder and CEO Weili Hsueh.

On 29 May 2026, Richten Energy signed a letter of intent on cooperation in smart net-zero buildings and clean technology with David Toland, Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce of Kansas. The signing took place at the Building Materials Experimental Center of the Architecture and Building Research Institute (ABRI), Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior.

The Dodge City visit has brought those earlier discussions into the planning of a specific site and its technical requirements. Richten Energy said the scope of the demonstration, partnership arrangements and installation schedule would be determined following a review of applicable US regulations and structural and electrical assessments. Installed capacity and electricity generation performance will be announced once the design and measurement arrangements have been established.

In Dodge City, Kansas, Richten Energy Founder and CEO Weili Hsueh discusses plans for the proposed museum demonstration project with City Manager Nick Hernandez and the municipal team. Hsueh presents the technology’s bespoke design options and potential applications on building façades.

Richten Energy develops coloured solar façade solutions, installation methods for building applications and energy solutions. Using coloured solar technology from Join It Sustainable Tech. Co., Ltd., the company enables building façades to combine architectural design with renewable energy generation.

Website: https://en.richten.com.tw/

Source: Central News Agency (CNA)