June 4, 2012
The Kansas City Star
A survey of more than 500 electric utility executives showed a dramatic drop from just a year ago in the number who believe coal has a long-term future. The report estimates that as many as 450 coal-burning power plants could be decommissioned by 2020 as utilities embrace cheap natural gas and deal with aged power plants and the need to curb high pollution levels.
May 29, 2012 at 08:00pm
American Electric Power made big news today about what to do with its Big Sandy coal-burning power plant located in Louisa, Kentucky.
This morning, the New York Times published a front page article about the debate over the future of that plant. By late this afternoon, AEP announced that it will scrap plans to sink about $1 billion into the pollution control equipment necessary to keep operating that plant.
May 14, 2012
Think Progress
Electricity generation in the U.S. from coal took a dramatic drop in in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the first quarter of 2011. According to new figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, coal made up 36 percent of U.S. electricity — down from 44.6 percent in the first quarter of 2011.
May 16, 2012 at 08:00pm
KFTC members held signs, displayed homemade art hats and had conversations about climate change during this year's Kentucky Derby on May 5th, 2012. They were acting in concert with organization 350.org during it's international "Connect the Dots: Showing the Human Face of Climate Change" event. The goal was to communicate the connection between the extreme weather the world is experiencing and climate change.
May 7, 2012 at 08:00pm
The Kentucky Solar Partnership and Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest, with the support of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED), Johnson Controls, Inc., the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Service, and Kentucky State University, present a series of introductory and advanced training classes on solar photovoltaic system design and installation practices.
Full workshop descriptions and registration information can be found at www.kysolar.org. Financial support with low-interest loans covering up to 100% of registration fees plus grants for travel expenses is available to residents of eastern Kentucky, thanks to the support from MACED.
May 2, 2012 at 08:00pm
The following is a letter written by Central Kentucky KFTC member Layton Register (shown right) to all House Tourism Development and Energy Committee members after they heard the Clean Energy Opportunity Act, House Bill 167, this last session:
April 30, 2012 at 08:00pm
More than 50,000 commercial and residential electricity users in Cincinnati hired a new electricity company this week - one that aims to power the city on 100% clean energy.
Cincinnati is the first city in Ohio and the first of its size to move to 100% clean energy. The city's manager expects the average eligible household's bill to decrease by $133 as a result.
April 26, 2012 at 08:00pm
A Congressional conference committee will meet May 8 to work out differences in a major transportation funding bill - with the Keystone XL pipeline and coal ash among the major issues to be worked out.
Why are those issues part of a transportation bill?
April 24, 2012 at 08:00pm
A new national survey shows overwhelming and bipartisan support for clean energy policies that go far beyond what is currently in place, especially in Kentucky.
More than 80 percent of the 1,019 people asked agreed with the statement: “The time is now for a new, grassroots-driven politics to realize a renewable energy future.” The favorable response included 69 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of Independents, and 95 percent of Democrats.
April 22, 2012 at 08:00pm
"This has been a great meeting and an opportunity for me to learn some things I didn't know," said KFTC member John Harrod to the group gathered in Morehead on the evening of April 9 for the Rural Electric Cooperative Public Forum. "I am encouraged and optimistic about our prospects for moving forward with energy saving ideas and more use of renewable energy sources."
The Public Forum was held as part of the Clean Energy Collaborative, in which KFTC participates along with other public interest groups, the local rural electric co-ops, and the East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC). The mission of the Collaborative is to review and recommend energy efficiency and renewable energy actions to EKPC, and to promote collaboration among all the parties in implementation of these ideas.
