To protect the climate, Kentucky needs good energy and land policies to work together

The clean energy future is building momentum right here in Kentucky. During June, Kentucky’s Electric Generation and Transmission siting board approved one of the latest applications in Kentucky to construct a 100-megawatt solar facility in Madison County—one of several large-scale merchant solar projects that are being proposed for the state.

And in May, the Kentucky Public Service Commission issued a final order in Kentucky Power Company’s recent rate case, where the Commission rejected the utility’s proposed changes to “Net Metering”—the billing mechanism that allows customers with rooftop solar panels to be connected to the electricity grid and be compensated for any excess power they supply to the grid. The Commission’s order took into account multiple benefits provided by distributed solar generation to the utilities and ratepayers, establishing principles and best practices to be used for determining the value of distributed energy resources.

Corporations are increasingly seeking access to solar and homeowners are becoming more aware of the benefits of using solar on their homes. Municipalities are also investing in solar, such as Berea’s “community solar” project and Henderson’s 50 megawatt project that’s under development. “Solar installers” are in the top three of the fastest growing jobs in the country. And the demand for clean energy options to meet climate and carbon reduction goals is accelerating this change.

The solar revolution is not without its growing pains, however. The rapid expansion of large-scale “merchant” solar projects throughout the state have raised reasonable questions in some communities about the use of agricultural land for some developments. After all, agricultural lands, when well-managed through regenerative farming processes, can also be an effective tool for mitigating the impacts of climate change by pulling excess carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, to be stored in plants and soils.

Farmers who adopt regenerative agriculture practices can improve the soil’s ability to retain carbon. Such practices include no-till cultivation, elimination of chemical fertilizers, cover cropping, and crop rotation.

It is important to recognize that each of these strategies— utility-scale solar, community solar, distributed solar, and regenerative agriculture— are ALL essential components to addressing climate change and are necessary for achieving our climate goals.

This presents a new challenge for state and local governments to come up with the right laws, incentives, and regulations to allow solar to responsibly grow at scale; give homeowners and businesses more freedom to invest in clean energy; and sustain the health of our agricultural lands and communities.

Some solar companies are taking the lead, designing “dual use” projects that integrate solar and agricultural production in the same parcels. Some communities have also led the way in establishing guidance for solar developments, to avoid conflicts such as those that have happened in Clark County.

One thing is certain, however. The trajectory for how we obtain and consume power is rapidly changing—faster than some communities are able to adapt. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, over 100 globally significant banks and insurers are divesting from fossil fuels. Meanwhile solar continues to grow exponentially, representing 43% of new US electricity generating capacity in 2020. The addition of battery storage will only accelerate the transition.

The clean energy transition is an enormous economic opportunity for communities throughout Kentucky. Our local and state leaders should work together to create policies that support the expansion of solar and other clean energy technologies, while ensuring that every community has a voice in guiding this development. For example, state law now permits utilities to stop offering net metering when it reaches a mere 1% of their annual peak demand. Lifting this cap would enable many more Kentuckians to enjoy the benefits of using rooftop solar.

Lane Boldman is Executive Director of the Kentucky Conservation Committee, an environmental policy nonprofit located in Frankfort. Website kyconservation.org.