Clean Energy Collaborative Passes First Recommendations

As part of our work around clean energy and transition, KFTC participates in a Clean Energy Collaborative that held its first meeting of the new year on January 31 in Richmond.

The collaborative was formed in 2010 when KFTC and allies succeeded in convincing East Kentucky Power Cooperative to abandon plans for a new coal-burning power plant in Central Kentucky. In addition to KFTC and EKPC, the collaborative includes other public interest groups, the Attorney General's office, and all 16 of EKPC's distribution co-ops. The group has a two-year charge to study renewable energy and energy efficiency options and present proposals to EKPC.

In addition to being an important piece of the work to move Kentucky beyond coal and toward cleaner energy and new jobs, the collaborative plays a role in creating greater transparency and member involvement in the rural electric co-ops.

KFTC member Tona Barkley helped preside over the meeting as Vice Chair of the Collaborative, along with David Crews of EKPC (pictured left), the Collaborative's new Chair, who introduced himself to the group at the meeting. KFTC member Steve Wilkins participated as a co-chair of the Demand-Side Management Working Group. During the public comment period, EKPC Board Chair Paul Hawkins invited Barkley to present the collaborative's annual report at the next EKPC board meeting.

Much of the discussion at the January 31 meeting focused on recommendations from the Demand-Side Management Working Group. Six of seven recommendations, which focus on increasing DSM programs in the co-ops, passed with consensus. The seventh recommendation will be brought back to the full collaborative for further discussion in April.

Mark your calendars: The next meeting of the Collaborative will be Tuesday, April 17 in the afternoon at the Perkins Building on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University. Stay tuned to this blog for more info as the date approaches. KFTC members are encouraged to attend and speak up during the public comment period.

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Here are the six recommendations that will be presented to EKPC for consideration by its management, board and member co-ops:

Measurement and Verification Recommendations

• Partner with distribution member cooperatives and allocate resources for measurement and verification (M&V) of the cooperatives' existing and future DSM efforts. This includes developing a standardized, on-going process to collect data, investigate, and report on dynamic energy and demand impacts.
• Offer generally accepted DSM quantitative and qualitative analytic services to member systems on an individual, group, and/or system average basis using each member cooperative's unique market and cost structures.

Marketing and Implementation Recommendations

• Aggressively help member systems market those DSM programs with the optimal benefit-cost profiles.
• Develop strong educational, marketing and training programs for member systems to promote DSM efforts considering all potential markets and channels for messaging.
• Allocate resources toward becoming and serving as a consultant and expert for member systems in their DSM efforts. Identify best practices, provide research support, and explore partnerships to this end.

Overcoming Barriers/Challenges Recommendations

• Continually evaluate new and on-going DSM programs, refining efforts to ensure optimal penetration of target markets.