UK Renewable Energy Initiative
Policy, Commercialization & Relations
Kentucky Rural Energy Consortium
The Kentucky Rural Energy Consortium (KREC) is a partnership involving the UK College of Agriculture, College of Engineering, and Center for Applied Energy Research; UL Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center and J.B. Speed School of Engineering; other Kentucky Universities; the Kentucky Division of Energy and other key state agencies; and agricultural commodities groups and industry partners. KREC seeks to advance research on biomass, renewable energy and energy efficiency pertaining to Kentucky agriculture, rural communities, and industries. KREC was established in 2005, and awarded 7 competitive research grants in 2006.
Contact: Sue Nokes (snokes@bae.uky.edu), Don Colliver, Mike Montross, Czar Crofcheck, Rich Gates.
Biomass Education Modules
A workshop has been developed for middle-school students to show that decisions related to renewable energy (or any energy policy for that matter) are not straight-forward. A learning module is available for use in classrooms by teachers or as self-paced learning for students which includes power point slides, craft instructions, and an energy board game. The website can be accessed at www.bae.uky.edu/biofuels.
Contact: Sue Nokes (snokes@bae.uky.edu)
Biodiesel and Ethanol Tours
State officials and citizens across the Commonwealth has been educated about the production and utilization of clean/alternative fuels by means of guided tours of ethanol and biodiesel production facilities, and by the creation of companion “virtual” tours for both ethanol and biodiesel. The “virtual” tours, entitled The Kentucky Biodiesel Journey and the Kentucky Ethanol Journey, are both CD-based, movie-like journeys. A website has been created to distribute the virtual tours and addition information about Biofuels in Kentucky, www.bae.uky.edu/Biofuels.
Contact: Czarena Crofcheck (ccrofche@bae.uky.edu)
Commercialization
Many of the projects here, in particular FT catalysis, briquetted fuels, and biomass liquefaction, are carried out in collaboration with industry. These programs build on the long-standing relationships between the College of Agriculture, the College of Engineering and the Center for Applied Energy Research in supporting the agriculture, chemical and power industries in Kentucky and the nation.