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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. |
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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. |
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Our Services |
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The workshop requires prior registration:
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Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) |
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(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".
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
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": |
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Section |
Section Name |
Summary |
Mandatory Funding |
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9002 |
Biobased Markets |
Continues federal preference for preference of biobased products |
$9 |
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9003 |
Biorefinery Assistance |
Ln-G to produce advanced biofuels |
$320 |
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9004 |
Repowering Assistance |
Encourage biorefineries to install biomass syst. To replace FF |
$35 |
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9005 |
Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels |
Incentives for next generation biofuels |
$300 |
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9005 |
Biodiesel Fuel Education |
Education and outreach on biodiesel use |
$5 |
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9006 |
Rural Energy For America |
Grants & Loan Guarantees for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency Improvements |
$255 |
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9007 |
Biomass Research and Development |
Supports advanced research for improved bioenergy. |
$118 |
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9008 |
Rural Self Sufficiency Initiative |
Cost share grants for rural communities to develop and implement |
$0 |
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9009 |
Feedstock Flexibility |
Sugar import management program |
$0 |
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9010 |
Biomass Crop Assistance Program |
Assistance to stimulate crop plantings |
$70 |
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9011 |
Forest Biomass for Energy |
Research on use of low-value forest products |
$0 |
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9012 |
Community Wood Energy Program |
Grants for rural communities to install wood energy systems |
$0 |
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9013 |
Biofuels Infrastructure Study |
Study of the infrastructure needs associated with biofuels product. |
$0 |
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9014 |
Renewable Fertilizer Study |
Study potential to produce fertilizer from renewable energy |
$0 |
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Cooperation with University of Kentucky |
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PADD is excited to have the support of the " University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service " and the " UK Research and Education Center at Princeton" and its highly trained and knowledgeable staff, who is conducting energy assessments and audits for agricultural businesses, as they are necessary for the "Rural Energy of America Program (REAP)".
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. |
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| Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Audits | ||
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Please click here to find more information about the University of Kentucky Energy Audit Program. |
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County Agricultural Investment Program |
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On-Farm Energy Efficiency and Production
The Kentucky Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy, after exhausting funds from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) in 2010 and 2011, has approved Kentucky Agricultural Development Funds in the amount of $2,000,000 to help finance approved energy efficiency cost-share items for Kentucky farmers.
The energy 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.
All applications will be reviewed and must be postmarked or returned to the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy no later than one of the following dates in 2012: April 30, June 30, Sept. 30 and Dec. 31. A third party energy audit or assessment is required with each application.
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Intelligent Energy Choices for Kentucky's Future |
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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:
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Read the full article here . |
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Other Materials / Information |
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Downloads
Links
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