Beshear energy plan calls for efficiency, diversity and plenty of coal
By Andy Mead | amead@herald-leader.com
Gov. Steve Beshear unveiled what he called Kentucky’s first-ever comprehensive energy plan Tuesday, setting a goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gases while increasing jobs over the next couple of decades.
Gov. Steve Beshear
“It is long past-due for this country to have a comprehensive energy plan (and) Kentucky needs one,” he said.
The 150-page plan, “Intelligent Energy Choices for Kentucky’s Future,” lays out seven strategies that range from increasing energy efficiency to producing liquid fuels from coal and exploring nuclear power.
If the plan is successful, Beshear said, the state can reduce the energy it would be using in 2025 by 18 percent.
Beshear said his administration drew up the policy without consulting with coal companies or environmental groups. It now is meeting with those groups, as well as legislators and university experts, to gain support for the plan.
Success of the plan depends a lot of what the federal government does in coming years. Many of its methods and goals are parallel to ideas expounded by President-elect Barack Obama, Beshear said.
A lot also depends on evolving technology.
“This is a living document,” Beshear said. “There are a lot of assumptions in here that are accurate today and may not be accurate six months from now.”
The seven strategies listed in the plan are:
1. Offset the 2025 energy demand by at least 18 percent through efficiency in homes, buildings, industries and transportation.
2. Produce at least 1,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind by 2025.
3. Increase the use of biofuels so at least 12 percent of motor fuels comes from that source.
4. Turn at least 50 million tons of coal into liquid fuel each year by 2025.
5. Produce enough natural gas from coal so that all the natural gas burned in Kentucky would be produced here by 2025.
6. Capture and store at least half the carbon produced by coal-fired power plants by 2025.
7. Examine the use of nuclear power by 2025. There are 104 nuclear power plants in the U.S.; none is in Kentucky.
Filed Under: State Government • Steve Beshear
About the Author: John Stamper is the accountability editor for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Monticello, Ky., he has been with the Herald-Leader in a variety of roles since graduating from Western Kentucky University in 2000. Reach him at jstamper@herald-leader.com
Dear author,
What’s the difference in meaning between the words here and hear?
Well, I will say this, Steve Beshear sure knows how to copy our newly elected President.STEVE BESHEAR won’t get out, in front, for Obama in the election, but he does see the successful campaign with the BUZZ WORD “”"CHANGE.”"”
This state does not have the financial means to accomplish any of this under the present income structure and THE state of the economy. The Governor’s statement and PLAN ?? IS like reading a FAIRY TALE to kids in KINDERGARTEN.
This is a CAMEO thing. There are many unanswered questions in all these fields of endeavor . . .
When is this Governor going to do some real time Governing, instead of preparing for his re-election? I guess it was a good idea to come out with this plan, since the Gov and his ECONOMIC advisers have had to eat the illustrious promotions of a ZAP CAR.
This Administration is ALL FLUFF and no performance. There appears to be a lot of smoke and mirrors, to try to detract from how ineffective this administration is at Governing.
Sounds to me like hes talking out both sides of his mouth with all the reports this week of penalizing the coal industry and now “plenty of coal”
Hey Hack tell me how enforcing the stream buffer zone rule is penalizing the coal company.
As usual the rest of the Nation or the smart ones any way are moving away from fossil fuels and we can’t use enough of it.
Governor Beshear’s energy plan roll out is definitely a huge step in the right direction. I especially liked the building of more energy efficient homes which is a quicker route to reduce energy consumption. I find little to scrutinize with the exception of renewable energy.
The plan incorrectly states the set backs of solar and hydro electric. The report on the cost of installing solar can be done more cheaper. The research I have, would average $20,000 not $50,000 to build an average home with solar power. Our legislatures should also push forward a “true net metering” bill. The quote on Germany’s use of solar power compared to our Commonwealth’s is an example of the possibilities and challenges we can overcome.
On hydro electricity, I have brought up the idea of Hydrokinetic energy to the energy cabinet and was surprised they didn’t know about it. Hydrokinetic or free flow hydro generation is the extraction of energy from moving water without requiring the construction of new dams or diversions.
Over all the energy plan is a must read for everyone in the Commonwealth because we are all in this together.
Mr. Marksberry, sir . . ..
Thanks you for your informative post.
I am going to do some reading on Hydrokinetic.
Thank you!
Mr. Marksberry, This is excellent technology and much further along than one might realize.
Where would this type of Generating Eccentricity occur?
EPRI Ocean Energy Program is for the Public Benefit
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Jim, without getting too wordy, the type of Hydrokinetic generator I mentioned uses the rivers for the flow needed to spin the “turbine type” generator. The advantage over the oceans tide is that the water flows consistently in the same direction. There is also an advantage in the fact that rivers are close to the energy consumers, thus reducing the transmission costs. Kentucky has some of the longest river miles in the country. I’m not saying that this is a solution for all our energy needs, but I was disappointed that our energy cabinet did not know of the technology. If President “Elect” Obama is going to be sending (tax payers money) a message that the Country needs to start investing in new alternatives to our energy needs, then Kentucky should be ready to take advantage of the multiple opportunities this energy race will produce.
But has the last word been said ? Is all hope to be lost? Is the defeat final No !