Here you will find information about the Technical Assistance provided for Small Businesses, some useful guides, as well as some statistical information about the number of services provided.
If you want to make your business more energy efficient and/or want to use renewable energies, you will hopefully find the information provided in this section useful.
The Business
Lending, Development & Energy Services Department is offering a new and exciting possibility for your business to improve your operation by saving energy related expenses.
Our "Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Improvement Program" is designed to show your business where it has potential to save energy (gas / propane / electricity)
and therefore lowering your expenses. After energy savings potential has been identified, PADD will help you to find funding to finance the proposed improvements.
Note:
The PADD is not a energy auditor but will help you to get into contact with local engineers and professionals that can conduct an energy assessment / audit for your operation.
In a time
where energy costs are always rising and by doing so threatening more and more businesses in its pure existence, it is becoming more and more important to address the only way to
counter that threat … reducing your own energy consumption.
Or maybe it is just
for environmental reason that you decide to make improvements to your operation, hoping to reduce your energy use and CO2 emissions in order to fight global warming. But whether it is for financial reasons or for environmental motivations, we can help you to assess your business in
regards to its energy consumption and can show you ways to lower your energy usage. We can give you access to existing federal, state, and local programs that can help you to lower
your costs for energy efficiency improvements or investments in renewable energies.
Example:
Would you as a business person like to run
machinery that wastes 95% of the input and only creates around 5% of usable output? Because that is exactly what happens when you use ordinary
incandescents light bulbs; 95% heat
and just 5% light. Not very efficient. And for someone who is running a business, efficiency is one of the most important criteria for success. Changing your light bulbs to more efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs or cold cathode light
bulbs is the easiest and fastest energy efficiency improvement one can do. And the one with the fastest payoff … just around half a year (depending on the average time your
light bulbs are used). And that is just the beginning of what you can do to improve your energy consumption.
Our Services
We offer FREE Energy Orientation Workshops, every Wednesday at 11:00 AM at the PADD Office,
to aid business owners and farmers in renewable energies and energy efficiency improvements, informing them about available local, state and federal programs, and providing
contacts with specialized and experienced resource partners. During the workshops, we will give information about the kind of improvements you could do to your business, help
you to make a self assessment of your operation in order to evaluate where to make improvements and we can help you to obtain at least partial financing of your project.
Click here to go to our download section for forms,
applications, and more.
Download a summary of energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives and programs for the Purchase Area (including state
and federal programs) region
here.
The workshop requires prior registration:
Download the "
Counseling Information Form", and then mail it to PADD, P.O. Box 588, Mayfield, KY 42066 or email it to
BizLoans@PurchaseADD.org. Upon our receipt of the form, we will contact you on the availability of an appointment for the next workshop.
Call (270) 251-6117 and make an appointment in person. You will be required to
fill out the "Counseling Information Form" at latest at the beginning of the workshop you signed up for.
Rural Energy for America Program (REAP)
(Formerly
titled: Section 9006 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program)
The "Rural Energy for America Program" (REAP) is part of the 2008 Farm Bill and is
continuing the former "Section 9006 Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program".
A program presentation is available as a download
here.
Download the 2011 Notice of Financial Assistance (NOFA)
here and the 2011 Interim Rules
here.
The USDA State Energy Coordinator for Kentucky can be contacted as follows:
USDA Rural Development
- Energy Coordinator -
771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200
Lexington, KY 40503
Phone: (270) 224-7435
Download a list of all USDA State Energy Coordinators
here.
The PADD is providing packaging assistance for the program but since the application process
is time intensive, we recommend to get started on the application process as soon as possible. Any application submitted to USDA after the deadline, or incomplete
applications submitted before the deadline, will be considered ineligible and returned. Please note that every application includes an external energy assessment or audit which
requires additional time.
Aside from REAP, the Farm Bill includes several other programs related to energy that can be
used to obtain funding (grants, loans, loan guarantees) for research and/or investments in energy efficiencies and renewable energies. Currently, the PADD is only offering packaging
assistance for the REAP program. Nevertheless, PADD can provide you with assistance in contacting other authorities and entities that deal with the programs PADD is not currently
offering. Eventually, PADD will extend its services and will include the other programs in its service packages.
Summary of Energy related Programs from the "
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008":
By drawing upon such an extensive pool of knowledge and experience, PADD can
better assist businesses who are interested in applying for the program or just need general assistance in determining best ways to become more energy efficient or how to use
renewable energies. PADD extends its sincere thanks to the University of Kentucky and is hoping for a long, productive and mutually beneficial relationship.
County Agricultural Investment Program
On-Farm Energy Efficiency and Production
The Kentucky Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy is using funds from the
American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) to help finance approved energy efficiency cost-share items for Kentucky farmers. The energy stimulus incentive program will provide 25
percent reimbursement of the actual cost of a federally qualified energy saving item, up to $10,000. Permissible items include, but are not limited to, energy audits, energy
efficient farm building components, on-farm energy upgrades and on-farm energy efficiency training. Contact your local
UK County Extension Office
for more information.
The application deadline for the year 2011 was February 28th
2011! We are hopeful that Kentucky will keep the program active and funded even after the initial ARRA funds have been exhausted.
Find official program information and application forms
here.
Kentucky's 7-Point Strategy for Energy Independence - Governor Steven Beshear
unveils the first-ever comprehensive energy plan. The plan strives for a 20 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions, increased coal research, and the creation of 40,000 jobs
in the energy sector. Download the full plan
here or a summary (fact sheet)
here.
The plan centers on seven primary strategies:
Improve the energy efficiency of Kentucky’s homes, buildings, industries and transportation fleet;
Increase Kentucky’s use of renewable energy;
Sustainably grow Kentucky’s production of biofuels;
Develop a coal-to-liquids industry in Kentucky to replace petroleum-based liquids;
Implement a major and comprehensive effort to increase gas, including coal-to-gas in Kentucky;
Initiate aggressive carbon capture/sequestration projects for coal-generated electricity in Kentucky; and
Examine the use of nuclear power for electricity generation in Kentucky.
Downloads
Links