Issue Position: New Energy, New Jobs, Bright Future

Issue Position

Kentucky has a proud of history leading America's energy needs. We are going to do it again. Adam Edelen's leadership in bringing new energy to Kentucky is just the beginning. Our Commonwealth will undergo a new and revolutionary commitment to renewable energies and the high-paying, long lasting 21st Century jobs they bring. Like no other state, Kentucky is ready to transfer 150 years of energy expertise to the new energy revolution.

Renewable Energy Standard
It's a fact -- Kentucky is losing business and jobs because we have resisted Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards. Time after time, project after project, Kentucky is passed over by outside investment from companies committed to growing in states who have embraced renewable energy. Make no mistake about it -- our lack of a renewable energy policy in Kentucky costs us the 21st century jobs we desperately need.

A bold initiative and private industry know-how in renewable energies, like solar, hydro, and wind will place Kentucky on track to capture the new investments and jobs that currently pass us by. It's past time for Kentucky to commit to renewable energy, but it's not too late. Climate change is real, and renewable energy is key to securing tomorrow's jobs.

A Missed Opportunity
When Tesla was looking for a site to build their first battery factory and bring with it an expected $100 billion economic impact over the next 20 years, Kentucky should have had a great shot at securing the plant. Kentucky's leadership in the automotive industry and advanced manufacturing should have made the Commonwealth an ideal location for the plant and put our people back to work.

Kentucky was not ever considered because of our dismal record on renewable energy. This will keep happening in the future, and we will continue to lose out to other states unless we make a commitment to renewable energy now.

Retrofitting Government toward Energy Independence
Every level of government belongs to the people, and it's the people's hard-earned tax dollars that pay for it. Why would Kentucky taxpayers not want their government to look for savings everywhere it could?

By retrofitting our government facilities to capture inexpensive energy and providing the incentives for energy audits as soon as possible, renewable energy (for pennies on the dollar our local government facilities now pay) can decrease the expenses of government and pass the savings on to taxpayers.

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