LHL: Energy Project Aims to Make Equestrian Games Greener

Recognition goes to the foresight of Governor Beshear and the WEG for having the foresight to pursue energy efficiency. Projects, such as this one, are encouraged by Kentucky law and provide a budget-neutral process for local counties to reduce their energy consumption costs. Pike County Government was given this opportunity with Ameresco, but the County Judge/Executive failed to successfully convince the Fiscal Court of the need for this and the benefits it would provide. The County's chief executive officer must have the ability to close projects such as this one. Given that it would have provided Pike County with the same opportunity to save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars without any cost to them, guaranteed, shows a lack of leadership by the County Judge/Executive.

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"The Kentucky Horse Park is undergoing a $5.7 million energy overhaul that officials say will save more than half a million dollars a year. The savings will be guaranteed by the energy company that is the park's partner.

The centerpiece of the project is the biomass gasification plant that will turn 3,450 tons of horse muck produced at the park every year into gas that can generate about 1.6megawatts of electricity. As Finance Secretary Jonathan Miller said at Monday's news conference: 'I cannot imagine that even after 42 years as a Lexingtonian that I would be this excited about horse manure.'

The plan also includes a solar-powered trash compactor, new sewer lines and filtration upgrades, solar-powered lighting of the covered arena and solar-powered water heaters at the campground. It also will provide a new purification system for the campground swimming pool, which cuts down on chemicals and pumping costs."

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