Central & Eastern KY Solar Tour Attracts 56 Participants!

ASPI and the Kentucky Solar Partnership hosted the Central & Eastern KY Solar Tour on October 1, 2005 and had one of our biggest crowds ever. Thirty people attended the guided tour, which traveled to Dick Levine’s classic active and passive solar house, the Curtis Pike Community near Richmond, and the off-grid, PV-powered home of Timi Reedy and Tammi Clemmons in Rockcastle County.

Our hosts along the self-guided tour reported a total of 26 individuals that stopped by during the day. The self-guided tour included the Eco-Village at Berea College, the community at Egret’s Cove, the Reedy-Clemmons residence, ASPI’s office in Mt. Vernon, and the Wright residence in Casey County.

Participants reported enjoying the tour very much and were very impressed with the numerous examples of renewable energy and sustainable building on display in Central and Eastern Kentucky.

The popularity of the tour reflects the growing interest in solar and other renewable energies here in Kentucky. With new incentives available here in Kentucky, such as KSP’s Low-Interest Loan Program for Solar Water Heaters and TVA’s Generation Partners Program for solar PV systems, and new Federal Tax Credits coming available January 1, 2006, more people are asking how they can use solar energy in their homes. During the Solar Tour they saw many examples of how Kentuckians are taking advantage of these clean, renewable resources.

We extend our thanks to the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy for a contribution that covered the cost of renting the vans for the guided tour, and to the American Solar Energy Society for a grant that helped us advertise the event. Special thanks also to all of our hosts who welcomed visitors into their homes and workplaces for the day.