Kentucky’s largest utility testing wind’s energy potential with state’s first utility-scale turbine

LG&E and KU expects the Mercer County turbine to be fully operational by March

Kentucky’s largest utility has built what it says is the state’s first utility-scale wind turbine to test the potential of wind energy. The wind turbine, which Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities (LG&E and KU) constructed at the end of last year with its parent company PPL Corporation, stands at 165 feet on the site of the utility’s E.W. Brown Generating Station in Mercer County. The site is also home to a coal-fired power plant unit, a 10-megawatt solar installation, several gas-fired turbines, and a hydroelectric plant.

(Liam Niemeyer, Ky. Lantern, Jan. 3, 2024)

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Setting the Record Straight: Home Energy Rebates

To keep Kentuckians informed with accurate and timely information, the Office of Energy Policy has recently published updates to the Inflation Reduction Act (2022) funding allocated for rebates for home energy efficiency and electrification projects.

Many consumers and interested groups have been misled into believing that funds are currently available and that the rebate process is already in place. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Under the best of circumstances, Kentucky will not see the rebate funding – and make it available to citizens – until mid to late 2025.

Here’s how it works.

Building America's Clean Energy Future

The U.S. Department of Energy web resource, Building American's Clean Energy Future, provides an interactive map on how the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are leading to announcements of historic levels of private sector investments in the United States, bringing manufacturing back to America after decades of offshoring, and creating good-paying clean energy jobs—including union jobs—across the nation. If you are curious about how investments are impacting American households, visit the US DOE Energy Savings Hub.

US DOE New BRIDGE Curriculum Encourages Future Careers in Bioenergy Technology

The Bioenergy Research and Education BRIDGE Program offers new curriculum and resources for students and educators in high school, technical, and post-secondary levels. The curriculum includes four sets of student and instructor guides on the following topics: Farm-to-Flight; Upcycling; Regional Feedstocks; and Municipal Solid Waste-to-Energy. The BRIDGES Program is created by the US Department of Energy Technology Office in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory as well as education, community, industry, and government partners.

Learn more on the OEP Website and the US Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office.

Kentucky Hydrogen Hubs on the Map

This U.S. Hydrogen Hubs interactive map identifies stakeholders and regions that have responded to the U.S. Department of Energy funding notice for its Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program.

Click here to view the map.

Kentucky Energy Affordability Dashboard

Energy affordability is a complex issue involving many factors and consideration across society. The new Kentucky Energy Affordability Dashboard provides data that describes the demographic, housing and utilities landscape in the Commonwealth. This dashboard is intended to help educate those using it on issues affecting energy affordability and energy burden.

Click here to learn more.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

Visit the KYTC Home page for the cabinet's latest news, maps/resources, high safety, citizen services, and more.