Topeka ? The state’s wind energy future remains promising despite Westar Energy Inc.’s decision not to pursue any proposed projects for now, the governor’s chief energy adviser said Tuesday.

Lee Allison, chief energy adviser to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, said Westar had been signaling for several months that it wasn’t going forward with wind development.

Westar is the state’s largest electric utility, with more than 649,000 customers.

“In the long term, this isn’t going to be a big deal,” Allison said. “In the short term, it’s disappointing that this didn’t work out for them.”

Westar sought plans from potential developers in February and received 17 proposals. Sixteen, submitted by 13 companies, were for wind power, while one plan involved tapping gases trapped in landfills for energy. Westar did not name the bidders.

None of the projects would have been in Westar’s financial interest, the company said Monday.

The company remains interested in renewable energy development, and Doug Sterbenz, Westar’s senior vice president for generation and marketing, said Westar would consider full or partial ownership of a wind farm in the future.

J.W. Prairie Windpower, the Lawrence-based subsidiary of Germany’s Juwi International, hopes to develop a 120-megawatt wind farm in Morris County. Jennifer States, the company’s managing director, said the firm’s project was one of the 16 wind proposals pitched to Westar.

The project is on hold, but States said the company was hopeful that Westar or other utilities would continue to explore wind power.

“The picture is not all that grim,” she said.