100% clean electricity for Louisville Metro Government operations by 2030
Louisville Metro Government has partnered with the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, to develop a roadmap on how to achieve 100% clean electricity across all of Louisville Metro operations by 2030.
Phase I of the partnership identified the following three possible avenues for Louisville Metro to achieve 100% clean electricity by 2030. In Phase II, NREL will explore these avenues to provide the data needed for us to determine how to achieve our goal. Phase II is expected to start in late 2021 and continue for 12 to 18 months.
The Green Tariff program offered by Louisville Gas & Electric (LG&E) includes an option for large customers to buy energy sourced from new renewable projects and have it delivered to them through LG&E’s transmission and distribution system.
LG&E’s Solar Share program allows customers to purchase limited quantities of shares in its 4-megawatt solar development in Simpsonville, Ky.
Municipalization involves public ownership of the electric utility. Municipalization allows for local control of a community’s energy supply and distribution.
Louisville Metro has issued a Request for Proposals for a Pre-Feasibility Analysis for Partial Municipalization of Electric Distribution System to Support Achievement of 100% Renewable Electricity Goal for Municipal Operations by 2030. The RFP can be found here: https://louisvilleky.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/59381.
To learn more about NREL and its work in Louisville, contact Partnership Program Manager Thomas Bowen, Researcher II, at (303) 275-3740 or thomas.bowen@nrel.gov.
In addition to the NREL partnership, the city hired its first full-time Energy Manager, Zachary Tyler, in February of 2020. Zach has worked with local energy provider LG&E to compile Louisville Metro’s energy usage data and used EnergyCAP, an energy management and utility bill accounting software, to better understand and analyze the city’s energy use. Reducing electricity demand and implementing projects that conserve energy will help us achieve the goal of 100% renewable electricity, in addition to saving the city significant money.