Gov. Beshear should look to future, not past, when it comes to energy issues

Governor-elect Andy Beshear will take office at a critical time for Kentucky and our world. Climate change has emerged as an urgent crisis demanding transformative changes to our economy. Recent scientific reports are clear that the world’s carbon emissions must peak and begin a rapid decline within the next several years to head off the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. There is international recognition of the need for urgent action.

An energy transition is underway. Renewable energy is expanding exponentially while the costs of wind and solar have fallen to where they are now often the least-cost energy sources. Coal plants are being retired throughout the country and natural gas is being challenged by low-cost renewables and battery-storage technologies. Electric vehicles have arrived and will transform the transportation sector.

If Kentucky continues to ignore and obstruct this energy transition, it will be both a moral failure and an opportunity lost. Governor-elect Beshear’s powers will be limited by the Republican-controlled Legislature, but he has great influence through the work of the cabinets and state agencies. I call on the new governor to appoint a Secretary of the Energy and Environment Cabinet who recognizes the reality of the climate crisis and the necessity of the energy transition, and who has the vision to lead Kentucky onto a new path.

For too long, energy policy in Kentucky has been dominated by the electric utilities and fossil fuel interests. In the past year alone, the monopoly electric utilities invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbying and direct campaign contributions to pass legislation to limit Kentuckians’ ability to use solar power on their homes and businesses. Then there were the rollbacks of energy efficiency programs by KU, LG&E, and Kentucky Power, taking away resources that assist families to reduce their energy bills. Meanwhile KU and LG&E have increased their basic service fees, which further discourages conservation and hits low-income families the hardest.

Kentucky needs an energy policy that will serve the public interest and reckon honestly with the realities of the world we’re living in. Climate change demands a rapid shift to carbon-free energy. Energy efficiency and renewables are now the lowest cost energy options. A Beshear energy policy should seize the energy transition as an opportunity to uplift families and communities in every county of the Commonwealth and drive a new era of economic development.

A Beshear energy policy should also ensure a just and realistic transition for coal communities and those dependent on the waning fossil fuel economy. There’s already excellent work being done by organizations such as the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development and others. The Beshear administration should learn from these local leaders and scale up their successful programs.

Kentucky will be ill-served if we dither for another four years pretending that the coal industry is coming back, denying that the far-reaching effects of climate change will harm Kentucky, and ignoring the enormous opportunities clean energy offers. Governor-elect Beshear can provide the leadership Kentucky needs to build a clean energy economy and meet the challenge of climate change.

Andy McDonald is the Director of Sustainable Systems Programs for Earth Tools Inc. He lives in Frankfort.