Act Now to Grow Clean Energy Jobs in KY

Please join us in urging state lawmakers to act now to grow clean energy jobs in Kentucky. Kentucky workers deserve to benefit from the booming growth of renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors. However, unless legislators take action, we will continue to lag behind as other states embrace and benefit from the growing clean energy economy.

Here are two important ways you can make your voice heard!

1) Attend a legislative hearing on Thursday, January 28, 2016 at 9 am in Room 129 of the Capitol Annex in Frankfort to show support for clean energy jobs in Kentucky. The House Economic Development Committee will hear testimony about the economic benefits of North Carolina’s clean energy policy. A bill modeled after North Carolina’s law is expected to be filed later that same day in the Kentucky General Assembly by Rep. Mary Lou Marzian. Fill out this form to let us know you're coming!

2) Call the legislative hotline: 1-800-372-7181. Ask to leave a message for your state Representative, State Senator, and all members of the House Economic Development Committee.  Message: “Please help Rep. Marzian grow clean energy jobs in Kentucky. Don’t leave our workers behind as other states benefit from the booming clean energy economy.” 

Additional information

Kentuckians For The Commonwealth and our allies in the Kentucky Sustainable Energy Alliance support a policy requiring utilities to get a growing share of electricity from renewable energy and energy efficiency over the next decade. 

Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia already have similar laws in place. These policies, called Renewable and Efficiency Portfolio Standards, have proven to be powerful drivers of jobs and economic development, while also producing financial and health benefits for Americans.

A study released earlier this month by the Lawrence Berkley National Labs found these policies supported 200,000 renewable energy-related jobs nationally in 2013 while saving consumers $1.2 billion in reduced wholesale electricity prices and $1.3-3.7 billion in reduced natural gas prices. By lowering power plant pollution, these laws also generated annual health benefits worth $5.2 billion for Americans.

On Thursday, the House Economic Development Committee will hear testimony from a representative of the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association. In 2007 North Carolina passed its version of a Renewable and Efficiency Standard. The economic benefits to workers and ratepayers in that state have been significant, including:

• North Carolina’s total economic impact from clean energy projects between 2007 and 2014 is $6.3 billion. 

• Over $2.6 billion has been invested in North Carolina in renewable energy projects since 2008. Nearly 75% (over $1.9 billion) of that investment has occurred in the state’s 80 most economically distressed counties. 

• Employment in North Carolina’s clean energy sector has grown by 25% each year since 2012. 

• North Carolina just passed 1 gigawatt of installed solar capacity, the fourth highest total in the nation. 

• Electricity costs in North Carolina over the next 15 years are expected to be lower than they would have been if the state continued to rely only on conventional generation sources. 

After the hearing, Rep. Mary Lou Marzian is expected to introduce legislation modeled after North Carolina’s successful example. Now is the time to make our voices heard in support of this important policy. Kentuckians deserve the opportunity to join and benefit from the rapidly growing clean energy economy!