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Governors Conference on Energy and the Environment Oct. 21-24.

Dive into all this year's conference has to offer--nuclear energy innovations, energy reliability in the wake of major weather events, new opportunities to develop powerful communities, the truth about energy transitioning from fossil fuels to other sources, and more, plus the valuable face-to-face interaction by attending in person.

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TVA Releases 2025 Draft Integrated Resource Plan and associated Draft Environmental Impact Statement

On September 23, the Tennessee Valley Authority announced the release of the 2025 Draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and associated Draft Environment Impact Statement. The IRP is a comprehensive plan to shape TVA's energy system through 2050. The Environmental Impact Statement evaluates the impacts related to the IRP. The planning direction established by the IRP will guide what power-generation resources and how much of these resources will be used to power your home or business for years to come. TVA's service territory includes the western Kentucky region. The IRP is published on the TVA website at tva.com/irp.

Stakeholder engagement and public involvement remain critical components of the IRP process. TVA will also host two public virtual webinars. The dates, venue locations, and details are available at tva.com/irp.



OEP Announces New Resource for Kentucky's Solar for All Program

What is Solar for All? How will the program work? What projects will be eligible to be funded? Answers to these and more questions are now available on a FAQ document published on the Office of Energy Policy website. Solar for All is a program designed to deliver solar to low-income and disadvantaged households and communities state-wide. Earlier this year, Kentucky was awarded $62,450,000 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the competitive Solar for All program funded through the Inflation Reduction Act's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Learn more about Solar for All on the OEP Project Explorer website. Download the Solar for All FAQs here.

kynect Expands Resource Package for Utility Support

Whatever your situation or need, there's a way to kynect. kynect is a program of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS). It is designed to be a one-stop shop for the programs and assistance needed by Kentucky's families. Through a partnership with the Office of Energy Policy (OEP) and CHFS, the online portal has been expanded to include utility services. With funding provided through IIJA State Energy Program grant, the Energy kynect Project is part of OEP's initiative to improve the visibility of available utility assistance programs and to enhance access to the LIHEAP Low-Income Home Energy Assistance) program. The Utility Services portal also streamlines the outage reporting capabilities of utility providers. Explore the kynect website to find answers to your questions.



Cutting the Ribbon on Kentucky's First EV Charging Station

Governor Beshear joined federal, state, and local officials in Richmond, KY on September 17 to cut the ribbon on the first electric vehicle (EV) fast charging station to open in Kentucky, built with funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program. The federally funded station is not only the first to open in the commonwealth but also the first in the southeastern United States. Expect more groundbreaking this fall as Kentucky continues to build out a statewide fast-charging network. Visit Kentucky's EV Charging Program website to learn more about EV basics, charging, and how to get ready for EVs and stay up to date on the latest news and events. Read the full press release here.

Photo source: News - Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear



USDA Investing $72M into 4 Kentucky River hydropower projects

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest $72 million in clean renewable energy projects in rural Kentucky, including four small hydropower generation installations on the Kentucky River. USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced the following five new PACE investments in Kentucky: Read the full story in the Lane Report, Sept. 16, 2024.



DOE awards $1.3 million to Paducah Public Schools

On September 12, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that Kentucky's Paducah Public Schools was awarded a $1,325,000 grant through the Community Capacity Building Grant Program. The grant funds will be used to revitalize 6 acres of unused school property into a green infrastructure of solar panels that will generate clean energy for the community while teaching the next generation the importance of being environmentally conscious of clean energy use.

The funding is part of roughly $18.9 in financial assistance the department has awarded to 12 communities nationwide to focus on reinvestment and engagement in communities around cleanup sites.



DOE Report Shows Clean Energy Jobs Grew at More Than Twice the Rate of Overall U.S. Employment

Nationally, in 2023, jobs in clean energy grew at more than twice the rate of the overall U.S. labor market. The report shows Kentucky had 156,950 energy workers statewide in 2023, representing 1.9% of all U.S. energy jobs. From 2022 to 2023, energy jobs in the state increased by 7,497 jobs, or 5%. The energy sector in Kentucky represents 8.2% of total state employment. (USEER 2024, page 125). The U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) is a comprehensive summary based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and supplementary surveys of tens of thousands of U.S. energy sector employers, of national, state, and county-level energy jobs, reporting by industry, technology, and region. The report and executive summary are available here.



Three Federal Agencies Announce Partnership and Resources to Protect Consumers from Solar Scams

In August, the U.S. Department of Treasury, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Trade Commission announced a joint effort to tackle unfair and deceptive practices in the residential solar industry. The agencies issued Consumer Advisories and published educational resources to help the public recognize and avoid potential scams and encourage those who suspect fraud to report it to these agencies or their state consumer protection office. The agencies provided a series of resources and guides to aid consumers, including, Click here for the complete list.

This article was published by the National Association of State Energy Officials, on August 13, 2024.



Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed an annual report called the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks. This report tracks greenhouse gas emissions (gases that trap heat in the atmosphere) and sinks by source, economic sector, and greenhouse gas going back to 1990. It presents a comprehensive accounting of total greenhouse gas emissions for all man-made sources including carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere by “sinks,” (e.g., through the uptake of carbon and storage in forests, vegetation, and soils) from the management of lands in their current use or as lands are converted to other uses. Click here for an overview and to learn more about emissions and removals.

Berkeley Lab and NREL Study Examines High Levels of Solar and Storage in the Southeast

To better understand the impact of increased levels of solar and storage in the Southeast, a new Berkeley Lab and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) report, Solar and Storage Integration in the Southeastern United States: Economics, Reliability, and Operations analyzes how higher levels of solar PV (27%-43% of total generation capacity) and electricity storage (13%-49% of peak load) would affect electricity system reliability, costs, and operations across the region in 2035. The study also evaluates the benefits of operational coordination among utilities through more efficient regional dispatch and reserve sharing, at different levels of solar and storage. Kentucky is among five balancing regions included in the study. The regions cover Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and parts of Mississippi and Missouri.

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data Explorer

The Data Explorer is an interactive tool that provides access to data from the EPA's annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks and the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks by State. You can use the tool to create customized charts or maps, examine trends over time, and download data.

Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services

The mission of the Cabinet is to be a diverse and inclusive organization providing programs, services, and supports that protect and promote the health and well-being of all Kentuckians and their communities. Their vision is a Commonwealth where every Kentuckian reaches their full human potential and all communities thrive.