Renewable Energy

What can college students do to save the planet from near certain destruction? This is a question that the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition has been asking ourselves for some time now, and the conclusion we have drawn is, a lot. That is why students from across the state, at several universities and colleges, have been organizing themselves to fight dirty energy and environmental injustice in their communities. That is why we have been starting campaigns to invest in our futures, the future of Kentucky, and a just, green economy.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative on Tuesday issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking partners to provide up to 300 megawatts of renewable energy resources. Proposed resources can include - but are not limited to - wind, solar, biomass, hydro, geothermal or recycled energy. The RFP is one of several ongoing initiatives EKPC has implemented to diversify its generation portfolio and boost renewables, according to the company. The company also said that since 2003 EKPC has generated more green energy than any other Kentucky utility, including using plants powered by gas form landfills, contracts to purchase hydro power, and solar and wind programs.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative has become a founding member of an organization dedicated to developing sources of renewable energy for electric cooperatives nationwide, the cooperative announced Tuesday. The National Renewables Cooperative Organization was formed earlier this year by a group of electric cooperatives. The organization will help cooperatives like East Kentucky Power diversify their generation resources by finding existing renewable projects or developing new ones.

Three environmental and economic groups are pointing to a new report that says East Kentucky Power Cooperative could create more jobs and keep costs down if it withdraws plans for a new power plant in Clark County and focuses on efficiency and renewable energy programs. But officials at East Kentucky Power say the proposed $766 million plant at J.K. Smith Station in Trapp remains the best option for dependable, low-cost energy. Last week, the Kentucky Environmental Foundation, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and the Cumberland Chapter of the Sierra Club hosted a teleconference on the report, which was conducted by the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies ?

The Kentucky Rural Energy Consortium (KREC) was selected as one of thirteen winners in a national USDA competition called the "Grand Challenge. " The USDA and the national 25x'25 Alliance co-sponsored the competition to support academic institutions as they assume leadership in achieving solutions to the energy supply and consumption challenges facing the nation. The competition was open to agricultural and forestry colleges and other institutions of higher learning to share their visions of how they will contribute to achieving the goal of the 25x'25 Alliance, which states that by the year 2025, America's farms, ranches and forests will provide 25 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States, while continuing to produce safe, abundant and affordable food, feed and fiber.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first day in a seven-part series that looks at how students, teachers, families and businesses, even a local city, are leading the charge for a more environmentally-conscious society. To see all the stories and videos from this series, click here . For as little as $5 a month, you could help save the planet. As more and more companies start to think "green," two local electricity providers are offering programs to help reduce carbon emissions commonly released from burning coal.

Dear Editor, We applaud Representative Ben Chandler for his recent vote for the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on June 26. This comprehensive energy legislation has the potential to transform the state and the rest of America by creating clean energy jobs, improving our national security, and protecting our planet from global warming pollution. After far too many years of inaction, missed opportunities, and major steps backward, the American Clean Energy and Security Act will begin to move our country toward a new energy economy by putting a firm limit on global warming pollution, improving energy efficiency, and investing in renewable energy.

After traveling the Commonwealth and pumping gas for regular people in four-hour shifts, U.S. Senate Candidate Bruce Lunsford has introduced an eight-point plan to lower gas prices. By the way, when he was finished pumping gas one weekend, he hopped on his private jet and flew to his second home in Chicago. Does anyone know which Kentucky county that's in? Closer scrutiny of his plan reveals he's actually flipped his gas lid. First of all, Lunsford supports John McCain's crazy idea of a gas tax holiday.

Centre College has been recognized for its dedication to environmental sustainability. E.ON., the parent company of Kentucky Utilities and Louisville Gas & Electric, last week presented Centre and its students with the company's non-residential customer award for students' efforts with the Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Station. This was the first presentation of the award. In 2007, more than three-fourths of Centre students voted for the creation of a Green Fund, an initiative that requires students to pay an annual $20 surcharge on their tuition to purchase renewable energy credits from the local Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Station, located near Harrodsburg.

What can college students do to save the planet from near certain destruction? This is a question that the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition has been asking ourselves for some time now, and the conclusion we have drawn is, a lot. That is why students from across the state, at several universities and colleges, have been organizing themselves to fight dirty energy and environmental injustice in their communities. That is why we have been starting campaigns to invest in our futures, the future of Kentucky, and a just, green economy.

The state House of Representatives voted last week to extend by one week this year's campaign-filing deadline for Kentucky's six congressional seats as work continued to resolve a House-Senate impasse on a plan to redraw those electoral districts. House Bill 2, as amended and enacted, contained no actual congressional redistricting plan, and only extended this year's filing deadline from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7  for congressional races. With the help of U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, and U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, the House and Senate worked out a compromise (HB 302)

East Kentucky Power Cooperative launched the first in a series of wide-scale talks with environmental groups Tuesday in an effort to expand renewable energy and efficiency programs at the wholesale electricity provider. Called the Demand Side Management and Renewable Energy Collaborative, the project is required under a deal that East Kentucky Power inked with the Attorney General’s Office and environmental organizations last year. That’s when the cooperative jettisoned plans for a controversial coal-fired power plant in southern Clark County.

God bless those who have lost their jobs in the current economic crisis. I pray for a return to fiscal sanity by our government and economic freedom so that Americans can once again build and sustain our dynamic economy. God bless those who have lost their homes in these difficult times. I pray that corrupt elected officials will be brought to justice for helping pave the way for the housing bubble by pressuring banks to loan to borrowers that couldn't afford to pay. I pray that these officials will lose their jobs in congress in the next election cycle.

God bless those who have lost their jobs in the current economic crisis. I pray for a return to fiscal sanity by our government and economic freedom so that Americans can once again build and sustain our dynamic economy. God bless those who have lost their homes in these difficult times. I pray that corrupt elected officials will be brought to justice for helping pave the way for the housing bubble by pressuring banks to loan to borrowers that couldn't afford to pay. I pray that these officials will lose their jobs in Congress in the next election cycle.

Centre College has been recognized for its dedication to environmental sustainability. E.ON., the parent company of Kentucky Utilities and Louisville Gas & Electric, last week presented Centre and its students with the company's non-residential customer award for students' efforts with the Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Station. This was the first presentation of the award. In 2007, more than three-fourths of Centre students voted for the creation of a Green Fund, an initiative that requires students to pay an annual $20 surcharge on their tuition to purchase renewable energy credits from the local Mother Ann Lee Hydroelectric Station, located near Harrodsburg.

Dear Editor, We applaud Representative Ben Chandler for his recent vote for the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on June 26. This comprehensive energy legislation has the potential to transform the state and the rest of America by creating clean energy jobs, improving our national security, and protecting our planet from global warming pollution. After far too many years of inaction, missed opportunities, and major steps backward, the American Clean Energy and Security Act will begin to move our country toward a new energy economy by putting a firm limit on global warming pollution, improving energy efficiency, and investing in renewable energy.

Three environmental and economic groups are pointing to a new report that says East Kentucky Power Cooperative could create more jobs and keep costs down if it withdraws plans for a new power plant in Clark County and focuses on efficiency and renewable energy programs. But officials at East Kentucky Power say the proposed $766 million plant at J.K. Smith Station in Trapp remains the best option for dependable, low-cost energy. Last week, the Kentucky Environmental Foundation, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and the Cumberland Chapter of the Sierra Club hosted a teleconference on the report, which was conducted by the Ochs Center for Metropolitan Studies ?

A climate change has been developing over the last few years that could dramatically affect the life of every Kentuckian. The "climate" is not atmospheric, but political and social - growing sentiment toward reducing the role of coal in electric generation. Whatever its ultimate course, this climate change carries enormous implications for Kentucky, including price increases that could outpace any seen in our history. The climate change is reflected in an array of policy initiatives and proposed laws ranging from "cap-and-trade" energy taxes on carbon dioxide-emitting power plants to mandates for greater use of renewable sources of electricity, such as wind, solar, biomass or hydro.

By Kathleen Rogers   In today's confusing and disheartening economic landscape, it's more important than ever to navigate carefully ? and make the right turns. At least, that's what shipping giant UPS is doing. After implementing a "right turn" strategy (taking more right turns than left to avoid idling in left turn lanes) UPS has saved over 30 million miles of driving ? including 3 million gallons of fuel and $600 million dollars a year from the change ? not to mention countless tons of carbon emissions.